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Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


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D 
D 

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publiques  du  Canada 

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la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

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dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ^signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

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filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
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et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


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BY 


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FALLS     OF     ST.  ANTHONY 

REDFIELD 

110  a:    112    NASSAU     STREET 
NEWYQRK. 


A 


tirn    Of   SAKltNY  i-  c'  VlwrOlfK. 


MINNESOTA 


AND 


ITS  RESOURCES 


TO   WHICH    ARE   APPENDED 

CAMP-FIRE  SKETCHES 

Oft 

NOTES  OP  A  TRIP  PROM  ST.  PAUL  TO  PEMBINA  AND  SELKIRK 
SETTLEMENT  ON  THE  RED  RIVER  OF  THE  NORTH 


<  I 


,  « •  •    ••• 


By  J.  WESLEY  BOI^i)  '  *  * 


w  :  fc     c 


REDFIELD, 

iiO  AND    112  NASSAU    STREET.    NEW    yoRK. 

1853. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Cougrcsn,  in  the  y.-ar  ISKJ. 
By  J.  S.  UKDFIKLD, 

,.  U-  C.C*.  0»>.  of  ...e  *«.-.  O0.,«  ;.....  ^  «-. '"  '^  ""  -^  =°""""' 
™  District  of  New  York. 


STKRUOTVPED    BY   C.   C.   SAVAGE, 

13  CliHjnber*  SU««l,  N.  V. 


•    « 


TO 


THE  CITIZENS  OF  MINNESOTA, 

€\)m  Wdtk  h  rrspnlfullti  tJMuUl 


AS  A  TCKKN  OF  APPREr'lATION  FOR  TIIRFR   KNTKRPRI.«E,   INTKr.LIOENOE, 
AND  MORAL  WORTH,  UY  TIIKIR  FELLOW-OITIZFN, 


The  Author. 


e 

I 
•» 

e 

o 

P 
ai 

ii 

JVJ 

86 

va 
G( 


I 


PREFACF, 


Th„  work  „  offered  ,e  «  brief  general  view  of  M,™esota, 
«8  .t  existed  prior  to  its  organization  as  a  territorial  govern- 
n.ent  .n  1849.  and  ■■  as  it  is"  at  the  present  ti.e.  As  a  guide 
to  the  .mm,gra„t,  and  the  tourist  in  search  of  general  Lor- 
mat.„n  and  pleasure,  it  is  believed  to  contain  much  valuable 
and  interesting  knowledge. 

The  facts  and  statements  contained  in  this  work  will  bo 
found  particnUrly  correct,  and  it  is  thought  will  „eet  the  de- 

workf L     T  \''.  """^o  '""-er,  who  wish  .  reliable 

work  for  reference  and  information  concerning  the  many  inter- 
estmg  topics  pertaining  to  this  territory. 

The  style,  though  somewhat  glowing,  is  not  in  the  least 
overdrawn.  Those  familiar  with  the  country  will  admit  on  a 
perusal,  that  the  half  has  not  been  told.     To  present  pai2 

...stance,  I  have  erred,  an  absorbing  interest  in  the  cause  of 
Minnesota  must  offer  sufficient  atonement  for  such  error 

The  matter  contained  in  the  "OAMP-FmE  Sketches  "  and 
-era  other  chapters,  is  entirely  original.     I  havl  als    m 

aluable  selections  from  the  writings  of  David  Dale  oTv^i 
United  States  geologist;  Rev.  E.  D.  Neill,  of  St.  Paul     et 
Governor  Eamsey,  and  several  o-  e.s  of  considerable  reputl 


c 


rKKFACE 


Avefcvcnce  to  the  ••  Ai.pcn.lix"  -^ul  sU«  »omo  important 
.natters  unavoidably  omitted  in  the  body  of  tl.o  ^ork,  to  a 
careful  perusal  of  which  the  reader  is  respectfully  .nv.ted^ 

I  particularly  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  the  bt  Paul 
press,  and  to  my  friend  Major  J.  J.  Noah,  whose  valuable  as- 
listance  in  compiling  and  superintending  this  pnbhcafcn  has 
contributed  much  to  its  merit.  I  therefore  present  th.s  work 
as  partly  original  and  partly  made  up  of  compilations  from 
other  paragraphists,  who  have  incidentally  preceded  me  upon 
the  subject.  It  will,  per'.aps,  prove  .altogether  more  valuable 
ou  that  account.  j   Wesley  Bond. 

St.  Paui.,  Misnbsota,  September  1,  1863. 


I 


^%?- 


CONTENTS 


H 


CHAPTER  I. 
TnE  Early  History  of  Minnesota p^oa      9 

CHAPTER  IL 

Comprising  a  General  Geographical  and  Descriptive  View  of  the  Terri- 
tory, General  Features,  &c 1^ 

CHAPTER  HI. 

General  Remarks  and  Reflections. — Agricultural  Advantages. — A  Talk 
with  Farmers,  Capitalists,  Mechanics,  Laborers,  Tourists,  and  all 
Others g2 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Review  of  the  Weather  of  Minnesota.— Adaptetiou  of  the  Soil  and  Cli- 
«»ate gg 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  St  Louis  River  of  Lak?  Superior,  Lapointe,  Fond  du  Lac,  St.  Croix 
Pineries,  Ac. .^  ^  ^  ^     ma 

CHAPTER  VL 

The  Minnesota  River  Country.— The  Undine  Region  of  Nicollet,  Ac— 
Coul,  Ac Qtj 

CHAPTER  VH. 

The  Principal  Towns.— St  Paul,  and  Matters  connected  with  that  North- 
western Metropolis.— The  Press,  Churches,  Ac— Obituary  Notice  of 
James  M.  Goodhue Iqj 

CHAPTER  VHI. 

Principal  Town^,  coiillnuod.— St.  Anthony's  Falls.— Point  Douglas,  Still- 
WHtor,  Mendota,  Ac J4j 


^'■'t 


f! 


g  CXJNTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Agricultural  Resources  of  the  Territory,  Manufactures,  Ac. . . .  paob  161 

CHAPTER  X. 
Facilities  for  Travel.— Railroads  through  and  toward  Minnesota 118 

CHAPTER  XL 

191 
Steamboat  and  River  Trade,  Ac 

CHAPTER  Xn. 
The  Indian  Tribes-Sioux,  Chippewas,  and  Winnebagoes 198 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Sioux  Treaty  of  1851.— Counties,  Courts,  Roads,  Aa 214 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

226 
Miscellaneous  Matters ' 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Conclusion—A  Vision  :  Scene  in  St  Paul  Twenty-Three  Years  hence; 
aU  of  which  I  saw,  and  part  of  which  We  all  expect  to  be -248 

SKETCHES    BY   A    CAMP-FIRE. 

CHAPTER  L 

The  Outward  March 

CHAPTER  II. 

896 
The  Homeward  March • 

CHAPTER  IIL 
Letters  from  Pembina  and  Selkirk  Settlement— Description  of  the  Settle- 
ment— Poetical  Tribute  to  the  People  of  Selkirk  Settlement— Table 
of  Distances  from  the  Mouth  of  the  Minnesota  to  the  Pembina  Settle- 
ment—Table of  Soundings  of  Red  River  of  the  North,  Ac. 816 

APPENDIX. 

Prince  Rupert's  Land.-The  Hudson's  Bay  and  Northwest  Companies. 
—The  Esquimaux.  Montagues,  Crees,  Sauteux,  Sioux,  Assimboins,  Ac.  336 

Tlie  Mounds  of  the  Minnesota  Valley ^ ^^8 

The  Brophy  Settlement 

List  01  tnnciais  oi  mmucovta  iv« .  .t^. ^  - 


■1 


MINNESOTA  AND  ITS  RESOURCES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    EARLY    HISTORY    OP    MINNESOTA. 

A  VERY  few  years  ago,  and  the  present  territory  of  Minne- 
Bota  was  a  waste  of  woodland  and  of  prairie,  uninhabited 
save  by  the  different  hordes  of  savage  tribes  from  time  imme- 
morial scattered  through  its  expanse,  with  of  later  years  a 
few  white  traders  only  intermingled.  At  intervals  a  zealous 
missionary  of  the  cross,  or  adventurous  traveller,  by  turns 
found  their  way  t.  the  Great  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  even 
to  the  source  of  the  Father  of  Waters  himself— and  with  awe 
filling  their  souls  at  the  grandeur  and  sublimity  of  the  works 
of  nature,  and  with  swelling  hearts  lifted  "from  nature  up  to 
nntnrc's  God,"  have  returned  to  the  bosom  of  society  in  the 
great  world  then  far,  far  away  to  the  south  and  east,  and  re- 
counted there  the  wonders  seen,  the  dangers  encountered,  the 
nncultivated  and  wasted  paradise  they  explored,  the  legends 
and  ch.'.,  acter  of  the  Red  Men  among  whom  almost  alone  they 
mingled. 

Minnesota  has  indeed  been  -  the  home  of  many  a  traveller 
and  the  theme  of  many  a  traveller's  story."  Here,  indeed, 
alone  and  solitary  was  seen  to  glide  the  canoe  of  the  dark- 
browed  Indian  over  his  own  loved  lakes;  and  from  the  rocky 
bluff,  where  stand  the  churches  now  dedicated  to  God,  and 
raising  their  tall  spires  heavenward,  only  arose  the  smoke  cf 
the  wigwam  and  the  council-fire,  while  the  whoop  of  the  sav- 

1* 


10 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOUKCEB. 


fxi^v  resouiiac.l  over  the  flowing  stream  below— across  whose 
still,  smooth  waters,  the  soft,  sweet  sound  of  the  organ's  tones, 
the  sonorous  tolling  of  the  church-going  bell,  and  the  busy 
Inun  of  connnercc,  now  reverberate.  The  scenes  and  sights 
then  witnessed  have  disappeared  across  the  river  to  the  west- 
ward, and  soon  will  be  transferred  still  further  from  our  gaze, 
and  the  home,  the  hunting-grounds,  and  even  the  very  graves 
of  the  Indians  will  be  obliterated  for  ever. 

The  two  fierce  tribes  which  now  inhabit  our  territory,  the 
Chippewas  of  the  old  Algonquin  stock,  and  their  inveterate 
and  hereditary  enemies,  the  equally  fierce  and  more  numerous 
Sioux,  have  for  ages  waged  an  exterminating  warfare— one 
which  is  well-known  spares  neither  age,  sex,  nor  condition. 
Our  fair  land  has  been  the  scene  of  many  a  Thermopylffi  though 
on  a  smaller  scale,  and  the  fierce  clangor  of  the  hand-to-hand 
combat  has  resounded  far  and  wide.     Here  thousands  of  the 
brave  sons  of  the  forest  have  met  death  uncomplainingly  and 
sung  their  last  wail  of  despair  and  agony  amid  untold  horrors. 
Their  smoking  blood  has  enriched  many  a  now  fertile  field- 
as,  like  that  of  Lancaster,  it  sunk  into  the  ground,  when  it 
should  have  mounted  and  cried  aloud  for  vengeance.     That 
vengeance  has  been  meted  out  from  time  to  time  by  either 
party,  and  many  an  ensanguined  story  could  be  told  of  more 
than  Roman  heroism— of  more  than  Spartan  valor. 

This  feud,  so  bitter,  has  descended  to  our  own  times,  and  of 
its  continued  strifes  many  of  us  have  been  reluctant  witnesses, 
while  of  its  horrors,  all  have  heard  repeatedly.  We  live  and 
move  upon  more  than  classic  groimd— ground  consecrated  by 
the  outpoured  blood  of  many  a  poor  untutored  victim— "who 
if  they  were  the  children  of  the  forest,  still  heard  the  voice  of 
their  God  in  the  morning  breeze— they  beheld  him  in  the  dark 
cloud  that  rose  in  wrath  from  the  west— they  acknowledged 
his  universal  beneficence  in  the  setting  sun  as  he  sank  to  his 
burning  bed.     Here  they  lived  and  loved." 

In  Europe,  near  two  hundred  years  ago,  as  in  America,  at 
this  day  Minnesota,  or  what  is  now  Minnesota,  was  a  land  to- 

^„-,.l  ,„i,:^u  ^oy,xT  o«  OTTO  wfis  tiirnpd.  and  in  regard  to  which 
ward  %viiivii  iii«iij  "s«  ^j  ^  ..  — :3  

fact  and  fancy  wove  a  wondrous  tale  of  interest  and  romance. 


■'Si' 


i 


THE   EARLY    HISTORY    OF   MINNESOTA. 


11 


In  consequence  of  this,  from  tlie  time  when  Father  Menard, 
the  devoted  Jesuit  missionary,  was  lost  in  tlie  forest  iti  1658 
while  crossing  Kee-uce-nah  Peninsula,  and  his  sad  fate  conjec- 
tured only  from  his  cassock  and  breviary,  long  afterward  found 
preserved  as  "Medicine"  charms,  among  the  wild  Dakotas 
of  our  territory,  down  to  the  time  when  Schoolcraft,  in  1832, 
traced  our  giant  Mississippi — a  giant  more  wonderful  than 
the  hundred-armed  Briareus— to  its  origin  in  the  gushing 
fountains  of  Itasca  lake,  Minnesota  has  continued  a  favorite 
field  of  reserch. 

Here  Hennepin  in  1680,  was  first  to  break  the  silence  of 
these  northern  wilds  with  a  white  man's  voice,  in  giving  to  the 
foaming  waters  of  St.  Anthony's  falls,  their  baptismal  name  in 
honor  of  his  patron  saint.  Here  was  the  scene  of  his  captivity 
among  the  M'day-wah-kaun-twan  Dakotas,  and  here  he  ex- 
perienced the  compassion  and  protection  of  Wah-zee-koo-tay, 
the  great  Nahdawessy  chief. 

Here  too,  not  very  long  afterward.  Baron  La-Hontan,  jour- 
neyed; and  in  this  territory,  that  romance  of  geography,  his 

La  Longue  Riviere,  had  its  location  and  due  western  course 

the  creature  of  La-Hontan's  imagination,  or  rather  of  truth 
and  fable  curiously  interwoven  and  intermingled. 

More  reliable  than  either,  the  gallant  Le  Sueur,  a  brave,  en- 
terprising, and  truthful  spirit,  in  1700  explored  the  sky-colored 
water  of  the  St.  Peter's  to  its  Blue  Earth  tributary,  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  log  fort  L'Hullier,  on  the  banks  of  the  Mahn- 
kah/o,  first  broke  the  virgin  soil  of  our  territory  with  the  spade 
and  pick-axe,  in  delving  for  copper  ore,  tons  of  which,  or  a 
green  earth  supposed  to  be  the  ore  of  that  metal,  he  had  con- 
veyed to  his  native  France.     He  it  was,  also,  who  appears  to 
have  1  een  the  first  white  man  or  trader,  that  supplied  the 
"Sioux"  and  "Aiavvis"  (loways)  with  fire-arms  and  other 
products  of  civilized  labor;  and  to  his  truthful  and  generally 
accurate  Journal,  we  are  likewise  indebted  for  the  best  statis- 
tics we  possess  of  the  earlj  'Mitory  of  the  Dakota  race,  which 
then,  fully  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  as  nov/,  occupied  the 

Following  Le  Sueur,  after  a  considerable  interval,  came  Cap- 


12 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    RrSOrRCIS. 


tain  Jonathan  Carver  in  1776,  arul  however  extravagant  we 
may  regard  some  of  his  statements,  and  however  discreditable 
we  may  deem  his  efforts  to  engross  millions  of  acres,  including 
nearly  all  the  inhabited  portion  of  Minnesota,  and  the  very 
land  upon  which  Saint  Paul  now  stands,  by  a  pretended  deed 
of  gift  from  the  Indians,  still  we  must  concede  him  to  have 
been  an  adventurer  of  so  mean  courage  and  enterprise,  and 
his  narrative  a  valuable  link  in  the  chain  of  our  early  annals. 

Still  later,  and  within  the  present  century,  Oass  and  School- 
craft, Nicollet  and  Fremont,  Long  and  Keating,  have  visited 
and  explored  our  land ;  and  Pike,  too,  the  heroic  Zehulon 
Pike,  who,  in  1802,  during  the  "  Expedition  to  the  Upper  Mis- 
sissippi," of  which  he  has  presented  so  admirable  a  narrative, 
gave  promise  of  that  fortitude,  courage,  and  determination, 
which  niJirked  him  throughout  a  glorious  career,  until  his  man- 
gled body  surrendered  up  his  noble  spirit,  happy  in  the  triumph 
of  his  country's  flag,  on  the  plains  of  Oan.ida. 

These  are  our  records  —  these  in  part,  our  historiographers. 
Their  works  form  stepping-stonos,  across  at  least  that  portion 
of  the  river  of  time,  which,  in  this  region,  for  about  two  hundred 
years,  has  rolled  its  tide  occasionally  within  view  of  the  white 
race.  The  gaps  between,  it  is  not  unfitly  our  duty  to  lessen 
and  to  close  up. 

The  materials  for  this  purpose  are  not  scarce,  though  some- 
what difficult  to  embody  in  a  tangs*»le  or  reliable  form.  Not 
a  foot  of  ground  that  we  tread,  but  has  been  trod  by  nations 
before  us.  Wild  tribes  of  men  have  marched  their  armiei^ 
over  the  sites  of  our  towns  and  fields — fierce  battles  have  been 
fought,  where  ere  long  churches  may  rear  their  spires  —  our 
ploughshares  may  turn  furrows  amidst  the  graves  of  btiried 
races,  and  our  children  ]>lay  perhaps,  where  generations  of 
children  have  played  centuries  before  them,  Dakota  and 
Ojibway,  Shiann  and  Ausinabwaun,  Winnebago  and  loway, 
Oz:aukie  and  Musquakie,  each,  in  turn  or  together,  dwelt  in 
the  land,  hunted  and  warred  through  it,  migrated  to  and  from 
it.  When  the  first  Jesuit  missionary,  one  hundred  and  ninety 
years  ago,  visited  Lake  Superior,  he  found  the  Cnippewns  and 
Sioux  engaged  in  that  war,  which  has  continued  Avith  but  littlo 


THE    rAHT.Y    HISTORY    OF   MIXNIiSOTA. 


18 


intermission  nearly  to  tlic  present  time.  How  long  before  — 
for  how  many  centuries  pvovions  — tliis  contest  was  waged,  we 
know  not  — the  records  are  dim,  the  traditions  vngne  and  un- 
certain, lint  we  do  know  that,  from  the  St.  Croix  to  the  Mille 
Lacs,  the  ancient  home  of  the  M'day-wah-kauntwaun  Sioux, 
whose  rich  maple  bottoms  are  a  Golgotha  of  hostile  bones, 
through  all  the  midland  hunting-grounds  to  Lake  Superior, 
and  northwest  by  wild  rice-shallows  to  the  fertile  lands  of  Red 
lake  (whose  waters  have  so  often  drunk  blood  from  battles  on 
its  shores  as  to  have  gained  the  ensanguined  cognomen  which 
we  mildly  translate  "  Red"),  we  can  trace  the  terrible  results 
of  this  warfare  of  the  Algonquin  and  Dakota  races  — a  war- 
fare which  in  its  results  completed  that  general  disruption  of 
all  the  old  geogrnphical  relations  of  the  various  tribes  of  Min- 
nesota, which  the  Dakotas,  perhaps,  were  the  first  to  disar- 
range, when  they  loci  ted  on  the  Upper  Mississippi. 

The  incidents  of  this  war— the  battles,  wher^3  fought— the 
victories,  Avhere  and  by  whom  won  — the  councils  held,  and 
alliances  formed  — the  advances,  the  retreats,  and  the  final  con- 
qnests  — are  among  the  inquiries  not  nuAvorthy  of  instituting, 
'llie  character  of  this  work  prevents,  at  this  stage,  a  further 
commentary  on  these  inquiries;  therefore  I  close  this  chapter 
with  a  brief  review  of  Minnesota  since  its  first  settlement  and 


organization. 


Previous  to  the  admission  of  Wisconsin  as  a  state,  all  that 
part  of  the  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi  was  a  part  of  Wis- 
cousin  territory.     After  the  admission  of  Wisconsin  as  a  state, 
there  was  a  considerable  popnlation  here  without  any  govern' 
moiif.     Hon.  John  CatUn,  secretary  of  the  territory  of  Wis- 
consin, came  up  here,  l)elieving  that  this  was  then  the  terri- 
tory of  AVisconsin,  and  that  the  duties  of  governor  devolved 
upon  him  (the  governor  of  the  old  territory  having  accepted 
an  otHce  under  the  new  state  of  Wisconsin),  and  issued  a  proc- 
lamation ordering  an  election  for  delegate  to  the  house  of  rep- 
resontatives  of  the   United  States.     This  election  was  held 
October  30.  1848.     Henry  H.  Sibley  and  Henry  M.  Rice- 
two  of  the  most  prominent  men  in  the  territory  — were  the 
candidates.     Mr.  Sibley  was  elected.     He  went  on  to  Wash- 


14 


MINNi:SOT.V   AND   ITO   RESOURCES. 


ington  city,  and,  after  some  little  difficulty,  was  allowed  to 
take  bis  seat,  and  to  attend  to  the  interests  of  the  people  of 
the  territory. 

On  the  third  day  of  March,  1849,  the  last  day  of  the  session 
of  Congress,  the  territory  of  Minnesota  was  organized.  On 
the  next  day  General  Taylor's  presidential  term  commenced, 
and  a  few  days  thereafter  he  appointed  the  following  officers 
for  the  territory  :  Alexander  Ramsey,  governor ;  C.  K.  Smith, 
secretary ;  A.  Goodrich,  chief-justice ;  and  B.  B.  Meeker  and 
David  Cooper,  associate  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  Min- 
nesota ;  H.  L.  Moss,  United  States  district  attorney ;  and 
Joshua  L.  Taylor,  United  States  marshal.  Mr.  Taylor  de- 
clined the  appointment,  and  A.  M.  Mitchell  was  appointed 
marshal.  Governor  Ramsey  arrived  soon  after  his  appoint- 
ment, the  other  officers  shortly  after,  and  on  the  first  day  of 
June,  1849,  the  governor  proclaimed  the  organization  of  the 
territorial  government.  He  also  ordered  an  election  of  mem- 
bers of  the  legislative  assembly,  and  a  delegate  to  Congress. 
Mr.  Sibley  was  elected  to  Congress  without  opposition. 

An  election  was  held  in  November  of  that  year  (1849)  for 
county  officers  created  by  the  assembly,  which  had  just  ad- 
journed ;  but  the  next  regular  election  for  all  officers,  inclu- 
ding a  delegate  to  Congress,  was  held  on  the  first  Monday  of 
September,  1850.  A.  M.  Mitchell  and  Henry  H.  Sibley  were 
the  candidates  for  Congress.  Mr.  Sibley  was  successful,  and 
Colonel  Mitchell  resigning,  Henry  L.  Tilden,  Esq.  (now  de- 
ceased), was  his  successor.  Mr.  Tilden  was  removed  in  the 
fall  of  1851,  and  Joseph  W.  Furber,  speaker  of  the  first  house 
of  representatives,  was  appointed  in  his  place.  A.  Van  Voor- 
hies  and  N.  Greene  Wilcox,  filling  the  offices  of  register  and 
receiver  of  the  land-office  at  Stillwater,  were  removed  by  th€ 
administration  that  appointed  them  in  the  summer  of  1852, 
when  Allen  Pierse  and  Jonathan  E.  M'Kusick  were  appointed 
their  successors. 

Charles  K.  Smith,  the  first  secretary  of  the  territory,  was 
removed  by  the  same  administration  in  the  fall  of  1851,  and 
Alexander  Wilkin  received  the  vacant  office.  Chief-Justice 
Aaron  Goodrich  was  likewise  superseded  about  the  same  time 


THE  EARLY   niSTORY   OF  MINNESOTA. 


15 


by  the  appointment  of  Jerome  Fuller,  Esq.,  editor  of  the  Albany 
Jlegisfer;  but  the  Unite]  States  senate  of  1852  rejecting  his 
confirmation,  Henry  Z.  Hayner,  Esq.,  -of  Troy,  New  York,  re- 
/  ceived  the  "  ermine,"  which  he  wore  until  removed  by  the 
incoming  administration  of  General  Pierce. 

Prior  to  the  organization  of  the  territory,  Major  Murphy 
filled  the  station  of  agent  for  the  Dakota  or  Sioux  Indians, 
Dr.  Livermore  for  the  Chippewas,  and  General  Fletcher  for 
the  Winnebagoes,  all  of  whom  were  subsequently  superseded 
by  General  Taylor ;   and  Nathaniel  M'Lean  as  Sioux  agent, 
J.  S.  Watrous  as  Chippewa  agent,  and  A.  M.  Fridley  as  Win- 
nebago agent,  were  the  successive  incumbents.     A  new  land- 
office  having  been  established  by  Congress  in  Benton  county, 
in  1852,  Reuben  W.  Richardson  and  Charles  Christmas  were 
appointed  receiver  and  register  thereof.     Charles  J.  Henniss 
and  Charles  Cavileer  were   appointed  collectors  of  United 
States  customs,  the  first  at  Saint  Paul,  the  latter  at  Pembina,  on 
the  Red  river  of  the  North,  the  boundary-line  between  the 
United  States  and  British  North  America. 
^  The  first  legislative  assembly  convened  in  1849  held  its  ses- 
sion at  the  Central  house,  on  the  second  day  of  September, 
and  David  Olmsted,  Esq.,  was  chosen  president  of  the  council, 
and  J.  W.  Furber,  Esq.,  speaker  of  the  house.     The  second 
session  commenced  on  the  7th  of  January,  1851,  in  the  brick 
building  now  known  as  the  "  Rice  House,"  and  continued  in 
session  ninety  days  in  order  to  form  a  code  of  laws.     The 
councillors,  being  elected  for  two  years,  of  course  held  over; 
but  the  house,  being  new  members,  elected  M.  E.  Ames,  Esq., 
speaker,  while  the  council  chose  David  B.  Loomis,  Esq.,  presi- 
dent.    The  code  was  formed  chiefly  from  the  present  prac- 
tising code  of  New  York. 

The  third  session  convened  in  a  brick  building  belonging  to 
Judge  Goodrich,  on  the  first  Wednesday  in  January,  1852, 
and  Hon.  W.  H.  Forbes  was  chosen  president  of  the  courcil, 
and  Hon.  John  D.  Ludden  speaker  of  the  house,  both  of  whom 
were  members  of  the  former  legislative  assembly,  reelected. 
The  fourth  session  p.onvp.npfl  nn  flio  flffli  /lotr  r>f  Toy>,,„ —  loco 

and  Hon.  Martin  M'Leod  was  chosen  president  of  the  council, 


10 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


nnd  ITon.  Bnvid  Day  speaker  of  the  lioiiso,  both  of  whom  were 
(»M  nicmhcrfi  ro-olccted.  The  most  important  feature  of  this 
asseinhly  was  tlie  f<.rmation  of  eleven  new  counties  from  the 
hind  recently  acquired  l)y  treaty  from  tlie  Sioux. 

The  details  of  this  ami  other  treaties  will  be  found  hereaf- 
ter; but  from  the  date  of  the  consummation  of  the  Sioux  treaty 
in  18/>2,  the  limits  of  the  territory  were  extended  beyond  the 
Mississippi  river  i^to  a  region  as  fair  as  that  of  the  far-famed 
Nile,  lying  invitihgly  and  blooming  before  us.  This  event 
closes  the  history,  so  far  as  historical  matters  may  be  pre- 
sumed, up  to  the  present  time,  all  the  past  forming  but  a 
preface  to  this  great  work. 

In  closing  this  imperfect  sketch  of  the  dim  and  shadowy 
past,  an  allusion  perhaps  ought  to  be  made  to  the  organization 
of  the  :Minnesota  Historical  Society  — an  important  event  in 
the  early  history  of  the  territory,  and  one  which  has  contrib- 
uted much  to  make  it  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout 
the  Union. 

^  •'  It  may  seem  a  strange  thing,  even  to  some  among  our  own 
citizens,  and  still  stranger  to  people  elsewhere,  that  an  histori- 
cal socktij  should  have  been  formed  in  this  territory  less  than 
a  year  after  its  organization,  when  its  history  was  apparently 
but  a  few  months  old  ;  when  the  wilderness  was,  as  it  is  yet, 
around  us ;  when  the  smoke  of  Indian  lodges  still  intercepteu 
our  view  of  the  horizon  ;  when  om-  very  name  was  so  new,  that 
men  disputed  as  to  its  orthography,  and  formed  parties  in  con- 
testing its  literal  meaning. 

"  An  h'lslonval  society  in  a  land  of  yesterday  !  Such  an  an- 
nouncement woulu  indeed  naturally  excite,  at  the  first  glance, 
incredulity  and  Avonder  in  the  general  mind.  Well  might  it 
be  exclaimed,  '  The  country  which  has  710  jmsl,  can  have  no 
history;'  with  force  could  it  be  asked,  '  117/ (yc  are  your  rec- 
ords  V  and  if  we  even  had  them,  it  would  not  be  surprising  if 
it  were  still  demanded,  '  What  those  records  could  possibly 
record  ?  what  negotiations,  what  legislation,  what  progress  in 
arts  or  intellect  could  they  possibly  -xhibit?'  —  ' Canst  thou 
gather  figs  from  thorns,  or  grapes  from  thistles  V 

"  True,  pertinent  as  such  queries  might  seem,  yet  neverthe- 


THE  EABLT  UISTOBT  OF  MINNlfflOTA.  If 

less  they  would  be  dictated  by  error-they  would  be  founded 
■  n  great  imsapprehenBion :  for  Minnesota  has  a  history,  and 
that  not  altogether  an  unwritten  one,  which  can  unravel  many 
a  page  of  deep,  engrossing  interest;  which  is  rich  in  tales  of 
danng  enterprise,  of  faithful  endurances,  of  high  hopes ;  which 
IS  marked  by  the  early  traveller's  footprints,  and  by  the  an- 
cent  explorer's  pencil;  which  is  glowing  with  the  myths  and 
r«d,t,„ns  of  our  aboriginal  race,  sprinkled  over  with  their 
battle-fie  ds,  with  the  sites  of  their  ancient  villages,  and  with 
the  waA-kaun  stones  of  their  teeming  mythology  " 

The  society  was  organized  by  act  of  i;gislature  in  1849,  and 
ho  ds  us  meefngs  in  January  of  each  year.  Among  its  mem 
hers  are  some  of  ihe  leading  minds  of  this  country,  as  well  a. 
every  ,„fl„ential  citizen  of  the  territory.  Through  the  u  ,re 
m,t„ng  labors  of  the  Rev.  E.  D.  NeilUhe  secretary  of  he 
socety.much  useful  and  interesting  information  and  collec 
tions  have  been  obtamed.  The  annals  of  the  society  are  pub- 
hshed  each  year,  comprising  all  the  papers  written  for  the 
uses  of  historical  research.  Four  of  these  valuable  pnblica! 
.n,ns  have  been  issued  already  at  the  expense  of  the':";! 

The  object  of  the  society  is  "  the  collection  and  preservation 
of  a  library,  mineralogical  and  geological  specimer^  7nd ia" 
curiosities,  and  other  matters  and  thing,  connected  wth  and 
calculated  to  illustrate  and  perpetuate  the  history  a^d  s^tle- 
ment  of,  the  territory ;"  and  the  secretary  is  required  "  to  kee„ 

what  conditions,  and  other  items  of  interest  connected  th;re" 
v^ith ;  and  shall  report  the  condition  of  the  library  anrcabinet 
at  each  annual  meeting."  '         i-aoinet 

"  It  is  a  mark  of  wisdom  thus  to  write  up  the  historv  of  » 
country  from  the  titlepage,  that  in  after-times,  when  ■  cWldlh 
huig-s  are  put  away,'  and  -by  St.  Paul  the  work'  of  Im^. 
^on  .goes  bravely  on,'  the  growth  of  that  new  empirrunon 
western  waters  may  be  all  mapped  out  beneath  Z  eye'o? 
posterity,  from  Us  infant-like  creepings  upon  the  greensw,'^.  "f 

fheto     f^.'^T.  •  '"'*"^  "^PP'"S^  wherewith  it  approached 
the  door  of  the  Dmon,  and  demanded  admittance  as^a  sta  e." 


M 


18 


MINM\8t)TA    AM>    liS    KKSOIUUKS. 


Its  prcwcnt  olliccu-s  Are,  Hon.  Alexander  Ramsc} ,  president; 
Hon.  Martin  M'Leod  and  Hon.  David  OiniHted,  vice-presidents ; 
and  Itev.  E.  I).  Neill,  secretary.  Any  person  taking  interest 
in  the  historical  afl'airs  of  our  country  can  become  a  member 
by  forwarding  one  dollar  to  the  secretary  at  Snint  Paul,  for 
which  he  will  receive  a  copy  of  the  annals,  and  all  the  privi- 
leges of  contribution  of  papers,  6i.c. 


J 


f 

•1 

resident ; 

38ident8 ; 

intcrcHt 

member 

Paul,  for 

■4 

lie  privi- 

OEOGKAnilOAL    AND    GKNERAL   FEATURES. 


CHAPTER   IT. 

COMPRISING    A    GKNERAL    OKOOHAPIilCAL    AND    DESCRIPTIVE    VIEW 
OP    THE    TERRITOUV,    GENERAL    FEATURES,    ETC. 

The  territory  of  Minnesota,  as  organized  by  the  act  of  Con- 
gress of  March  3,  1849,  is  an  extensive  region,  being  about 
four  times  as  large  as  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  is  six  hundred  and 
seventy-five  miles  in  extent  from  its  southeastern  to  its  north- 
western  border.     It  extends  from  tlie  Mississippi  and  St.  Croix 
rivers  and  the  Avestern  extremity  of  Lake  Superior  on  the  east, 
to  the  Missouri  and  White-Earth  rivers  on  the  west,  a  distance 
of  over  four  hundred  miles;   and  from  the  Iowa  line  (latitude 
43^  30')  on  the  south,  to  the  British  line  (latitude  49^^)  on  the 
north,  also  a  distance  of  over  four  hundred  miles— the  whole 
comprising  an   area  of  166,000  square  miles,  or  106,000,000 
acres.     At  one  point  along  the  northern  boundary,  viz..  Lake 
of  the  \\  oods,  the  line  extends  to  latitude  50"— a  fact  not  gen- 
erally known  — while  on  the  southwestern  part  it  extends  for 
seventy  miles  below  the  Iowa  line,  to  the  junction  of  the  Mis- 
souri and  Sioux  rivers,  in  latitude  42°  30^;  thus  running  through 
seven  and  a  half  degrees  of  latitude,  or  a  distance  due  north 
ot  hve  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles. 

Almost  the  whole  of  this  is  a  fine  rolling  prairie  of  ri.h  soil, 
a  sandy  onm,  adapted  to  the  short  summers  of  the  climate, 
and  which  produce  bounteously,  nay  luxuriantly.  The  surface 
of  the  country  excepting  the  Missouri  plains,  is  interspersed 
with  numerous  beautiful  lakes  of  fresh  water- all  abounding 
in  the  finest  fish,  and  their  banks  covered  with  a  fine  growth 
of  woodland.  The  land  is  about  equally  divided  between  n«k. 
openings  .nd  prairies,  the  whole  weU'watered  by  numerouB 
streams  navigable  for  steamers. 


20 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    RESOURCES. 


In  the  eastern  part,  viz.,  on  the  head-waters  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, Rum  river,  and  the  St.  Croix,  are  extensive  pine  and 
hard-wood  forests,  apparently  inexhaustible  for  centuries ; 
while  from  the  mouth  of  Crow-wing  river,  a  tribu;;ary  of  the 
Mississippi,  an  extensive  forest  of  hard-wood  timber,  fifty  miles 
in  width,  extends  southwesterly  into  the  country  watered  by 
the  Blue-Earth  river,  a  tributary  of  the  Minnesota  river,  emp- 
tying into  it  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  above  its  mouth.  The 
latter  stream,  rising  near  Lac  Traverse,  flows  southeasterly  a 
distance  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  empties  into 
the  Mifibissippi  at  Fort  Snelling,  seven  miles  above  St.  Paul, 
and  tl  e  same  distance  below  St.  Anthony.  This  is  one  of 
the  finest  streams  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the 
country  through  which  it  flows  is  not  excelled  for  salubrity  of 
climate  and  fertility  of  soil  by  any  part  of  the  United  States. 
In  a  good  stage  of  water,  steamboats  can  ascend  it  almost  to 
its  source.  A  portag »,  of  a  mile  or  two  then  connects  it  from 
Big-Stone  lake  with  Lac  Traverse ;  and  the  outlet  of  the  lat- 
ter, the  Sioux  Wood  river  (all  of  which  are  thirty  miles  in 
length),  with  the  famous  Red  river  of  the  North.  This  stream 
is  navigable  at  all  seasons  for  steamboats  from  the  Bois  de 
Sioux  to  Pembina,  on  the  British  lint — to  Selkirk  settlements, 
one  hundred  miles  beyond  —  and  even  to  Lake  Winnipeg. 
The  whole  trade  of  these  extensive  regions  will  eventually 
gsek  this  channel  to  a  market,  following  down  the  Minnesota 
to  the  Mississippi  at  St.  Paul,  and  thence  to  the  states  be- 
low. A  railroad  connection  will  eventually  be  made  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Bois  de  Sioux  to  Fond  du  Lac ;  also  from  the 
same  point  to  St.  Anthony  and  St.  Paul  via  Sauk  rapids  and 
the  Mississippi.  Another  will  connect  the  same  point  with 
Lac  qui  Parle,  on  account  of  the  portage  at  Big-Stone  lake ; 
thence  down  to  the  mouth  of  Blue  Earth  ;  thence  southeasterly 
through  Iowa  to  some  point,  say  Prairie  du  Chien  or  Dubuque, 
on  the  Lower  Mississippi.  Let  not  the  credulous  reader  smile  at 
this  :  I  hav .  been  through  a  principal  portion  of  the  regions  here 
described,  ai:d,  without  enthusiasm,  write  from  a  survey  of  the 
country  and  a  knowledge  of  its  capacities  and  resources  when 
once  brought  out.    Let  no  one  think  the  great  tide  of  imrai- 


93 


GEOGRAPHICAL   AND   GENERAL   FEATURES. 


21 


gration  will  confine  itself  to  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  and 
Minnesota  rivers ;  on  the  contrary,  the  whole  interior  to  the 
north  and  west  of  these  two  streams  will  soon  be  peopled,  and 
thickly  peopled  too. 

The  only  inten-uption  to  the  navigation  of  the  Lower  Min- 
nesota river  in  dry  seasons  is  what  are  called  the  "  Rapids," 
some  forty  miles  above  its  mouth.  This  is  a  ledge  of  sand- 
stone rock,  extending  across  the  stream,  and  will  soon  be  re- 
moved. 

The  Mississippi  above  St.  Anthony  is  navigable  an  almost 
indefinite  distance  to  the  north;  and  the  steamer  "Governor 
Ramsey"  has  already  been  running  in  the  trade  above  the 
falls  for  four  years,  as  far  as  the  Sauk  rapids  (eighty  miles) 
which,  with  the  Little  falls  (forty  miles  beyond),  are  the  main 
obstacles  in  a  navigation  of  over  four  hundred  miles  from  St 
Anthony  to  the  falls  of  the  Pokegama.     St.  Croix  lake  and 
river  are  navigable  to  the  falls,  sixty  miles  above  the  junction 
of  the  lake  and  Mississippi;  and  the  St.  Louis  river  is  naviga- 
ble from  Lake  Superior  twenty  miles  to  Fond  du  Lac     Nu- 
merous other  streams  are  navigable  for  light-draught  steamers 
and  flat-boats  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  miles,  penetrating  into 
the  interior  to  the  pineries,  and  giving  easy  access  into  the 
country  m  all  directions.     These  are  the  Blue-Earth,  Rum, 
LlK,  Sauk,  Crow,  Crow-wing,  Vermilion,  Cannon,  and  others. 

On  the  northeastern  border  of  the  territory  ^s  Lake  Supe- 
rior, wit .  its  valuable  fisheries  and  its  shores  abounding  in 
inexhaustible  mines  of  copper,  coal,  iron,  &c.,  besides  afford- 
ing us  the  facility  of  that  vast  inland  sea  for  immigration  and 
commerce. 

The  Great  Father  of  Waters  too-the  mighty  Mississippi- 
after  rising  m  Itasca  lake,  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  terri- 
tory,  flows  by  a  devious  course  for  some  eight  hundred  miles 
through  the  eastern  part,  and  below  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Croix 
orms  the  dividing  line  between  us  and  Wisconsin  for  some 
two  hundred  more  to  the  L-.wa  line.  This  mighty  river  gives 
us  the  whole  lower  valley  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico  for  a  never- 
ceasing  market  for  our  agricultural  nrn.ln.n  our  ir~f-  n-  1 
our  manufactures ;  for,  with  the  unlimited  water-power  at  nu- 


I!  f 

'I : 


23  MINNESOTA    ANT>   1T8    RFSOrKCEfl. 

•  *o  u  wpvp  idle  to  arecne  that  wc  are  not  destined 
niovouR  points,  it  ^le  i  tie  to  aig  .^^Uural  commu- 

te become  a  manufaotunug  as  well  a^  '\"  .^g^^.""""'  ,,  ^  ^^i 

nitv,  an.l  that  the  whole  of  the  ^^^^^ ^''^^'^TTm^^^ 
,,,;  i.e  aopendcnt  in  a  n.easure  on  the  Minnesota,  of  ^^hlch  we 

"^:^:^l:r  te^.^:;? f.r  no.ai  f.r  comf..  or  .nvenien.  c. 

X  „     ^  cfnfo  T  have  rot  patience  to  even 

frtv  (ntnrp  e-vcatiiess  a     a  state,  i   ucivi.  i. -^  ^  i      ^ 

l;lr:;if;  I  «.  not  wna„g  .»•  «.«  edification  of  vcop^- 

vevv  ■(iUv  as  to  believe  any  micl.  Inimbuggery.    AVo  can  giow 

a      ,  0    eveal  grains- winte.  wheat  and  con.  --^"'o  '^  ; 

ana  as  a  grazing  country  it  can  scarcely  be  eqnalle.  .     Cattle 

ad    I  eop  and  all  kinds  of  live  stock,  are  more  hcaltby  Leve. 

r,  a    an  b    prodnced  in  as  fine  a  degree  of  perfect,™,  as  u.  tbo 

'  ,tr  'nl  evidence  of  fanners  who  have  turned  their  atten- 

;  tli    branch  of  farming  industry  fully  proved  th.s  by 

their  past  experience  in  the  states,  contrasted  w.th  then-  great 

"  TiT;  ^lHabill's  now  number  .wenty  thonsand.    One  year 
„ore    at   the  present  rapid  rate  of  immigration,  w.U  see  .t 
Zblcl      There  is  not  an  instance  in  the  whole  h,s  ory  of  the 
;:     Northwest,  or  of  frontier  life  and  -viU-t.on  n.  whu=h  « 
territory,  i.,me<^i<,tdy  afcr  i,s  ors<m;zanon   ''-    -^^;  *3 
v-ith  such  rapidity,  and  in  which  thnvrag,busy,  bnstbng  towns 
To    pvu,  g  np  a  most  as  it  were  at  the  touch  o  some  enchan  - 
er's  .Xd      The  whole  history  of  this  territory  is  only  ecl.psed 
bv  th  "t  of  California,  and  that  only  in  the  sndden  accession 
'         Ibers  which  ,oU  (the  GU  of  nine  tenths  o    the  hnm- 
fanilv)  has  drawn  together,  like  some  huge  maelstrom-the 
^'    t  llcovdant  materials  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe 
L,    eal  agricultural  wealth,  in  comforts,  and  the  happy  and 
e  u  ented'character  of  an  intelligent  popnlation - .„  short,  m 
!,      ,e  elements  which  go  to  elevate  the  character  of  a  people 
aud  constitute  the  real  greatness  of  the  state-Caltfonua  .B 
f-ir  very  far,  in  the  background. 

0,  progress  is  indeed  onward,  and  the  end  not  even  the 
„„st  sLguine  can  divine.  The  wildest  daycreamer  may 
-^,_^,..  „.,  .„  ,„„..,.„»  aud  find  his  schemes,  air-castles,  and  anti- 
cipations, in  a  fair  train  for  speedy  re.alization ;  and  others, 


•;# 


GEOGRAPiriCAL    AND   GENERAL    FEATURES. 


2" 


o 


t  destined 

[vl  commu- 

^alley  will 

which  we 

jnicnce,  or 
je  to  even 
'  people  so 
e  can  grow 
ig  the  rest ; 
B(L     Cattle 
althy  here, 
)n,  as  in  the 
their  atten- 
ded this  by 
their  great 

One  year 
Avill  see  it 
istory  of  the 
I,  in  which  a 
Leen  settled 
istling  towns 
3me  enchant- 
only  eclipsed 
,en  accession 
)f  the  human 
elstrom  —  the 
of  the  globe. 
le  happy  and 
—  in  short,  in 
IV  of  a  people, 
-California  is 

not  even  the 
dreamer  may 
sties,  and  anti- 
11  •  and  others, 


more  vast,  gigantic,  and  iinthonght  of,  treading  rapidly  on 
their  heels !  lie  lives  in  a  railroad,  nay,  in  an  electric  age, 
where  action  foUoAvs  thonglit,  and  the  conception  of  designs 
vast  and  mighty,  and  their  speedy  prosecution  and  completion, 
are  almost  simultaneous. 

Minnesota  has  just  entered  upon  the  fifth  year  of  her  politi- 
cal existence.     So  far  as  business  prosperity  is  concerned,  it 
promises  to  be  a  bright  one  —  bright  r  than  any  that  has  pre- 
ceded it.     Navigation  has  opened,  and  boats  from  below  have 
appeared  within  our  borders  and  at  tlio  wharves  of  St.  Paul 
a  M-eek  earlier  than  the  usual  time,  taking  one  year  with  an- 
other.    Our  merchants  and  business  men  have  been  cast  and 
south  for  their  spring  and  summer  ..upplies,  and  are  returning 
with  stocks  much  larger  thai-  have  heretofore  been  brought  to 
the  territory.     Our  mills,  from  the  St.  Croix  to  the  Blue-Earth, 
and  for  scores  of  miles  northand  south  along  the  former  stream 
and  the  Mississippi,  maintain  their  ceaseless  noise  and  motion 
day  and  night,  converting  the  products  of  our  rich  pine-forests 
into  building  materials  for  markets  below  and  improvements  at 
home.     In  the  towns  and  villages,  along  the  roads  and  high- 
ways and  byways  of  tlie  older  settlements,  and  out  upon  the 
broad   prairies,  and   by  the   shores  of  the  broad  streams  and 
margln.s  of  the  clear  lakes  of  the  "  Sioux  Purchase,"  the  sound 
of  the  hammer  and  the  axe  is  heard,  busy  at  improvement. 
All  is  life,  all  is  hurry,  all  is  energy,  all  is  onward,  all  is  hope. 
'rU  boats  from  below  come  swarming  with  hardy  adventurers 
from  other  portions  of  our  common  country,  and  from  other 
lands,  to  mingle  with  those  now  here— to  settle  and  live  among 
us— to  be  part  and  parcel  of  us— to  make  common  cause  and 
bide  common  destiny  hero  with  those  who  have  prepared  the 
way  for  the  future  advent  of  a  mighty  and  prosperous  common- 
wealth into  the  great  American  Union. 

:Miiinesota  at  this  time  partakes  to  a  large  degree  of  the  gen- 
eral prosperity  now  so  happily  and  manifestly  apparent  through- 
out the  country.  I  can  see  nothing  within  her,  or  upon  the 
surface,  indicative  of  a  reverse  of  this  agreeable  and  promising 
state  of  affairs.  Her  business  people  have  not  over-traded! 
and  are  consequently  not  dangerously  in  debt.     Let  them  be 


•f!?" 


mmsmmmsmmsmm 


24 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


equally  cautious  at  present  and  in  the  future,  and  all  is  safe 
with  them  and  with  the  reputation  of  the  territory.     Her  farm- 
ers, and  mechanics,  and  laboring  men  generally,  are  enterpri- 
sing and  industrious.     Their  energy,  frugality,  and  perseve- 
rance, after  all,  are  the  leading  element  and  surest  guaranty  oi 
her  future  greatness  and  prosperity.     Upon  them  depends  not 
only  a  great  deal,  but  very  nearly  all.     That  they  will  con- 
tinue to  address  themselves  manfully  to  the  great  task  before 
them,  of  giving  life  and  progress  to  the  new  land  of  their  adop- 
tion, we  have  an  assurance  in  the  pact.     I  speak  in  no  boast- 
ful or  vainglorious  theme  when  I  say  there  is  largely  more 
character  in  Minnesota  than  was  found  at  tlie  same  age  m  any 
of  the  older  western  members  of  our  republican  family.    I  know 
the  fact  from  the  experience  of  candid  men,  who  have  lived 
on  other  frontiers,  and  now  bear  testimony  in  favor  of  Minne- 
sota.    Croakers  and  grumblers  we  may  ever  expect  to  find 
among  us— drones  and  loafers;  but  the  great  family  of  the 
hive  works  together  steadily  and  harmoniously.    They,  and 
those  who  are  to  come  after  them,  will  reap  their  reward  m  a 
glorious,  happy,  and  enviable  future. 

The  following  items  and  categorical  description  of  Minne- 
sota are  from  the  pen  of  the  late  and  deeply-lamented  Colonel 
James  M.  Goodhue,  editor  of  the  Minnesota  Pioneer,  an  obitu- 
ary notice  of  whom  will  be  found  during  the  progress  of  this 

""  ''^  Minnesota''  is  spelled  with  a  letter  n  at  the  end  of  the  first 
syllable,  and  a  letter  n  also  at  the  beginning  of  the  second 
syllable ;  and  the  i  in  the  first  syllable  is  pronounced  short,  as 

'"  It  ""paul  is  named  for  the  old  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  him- 
self, and  for  him  alone ;  and  is  therefore  neither  in  the  posses- 
sive case,  signifying  that  that  respectable  apostle  either  is  or 
was  the  proprietor  of  the  town,  nor  is  it  in  the  plural,  signity- 
Ing  that  there  is  more  than  one  town  of  St.  Paul;  and  there- 
fore it  should  be  spelled  without  an  apostrophe  and  without  an 

at  the  end  of  the  word.  ,  ,       ,         x- 

The  St.  Peter  river  is  the  Minnesota  river,  and  has  ueea  tor 


OEOGKAPIIICAL   AND   GKNEKAL   FEATUKE9. 


25 


id  all  is  safe 
Her  farm- 
are  enterpri- 
md  perseve- 
guaranty  of 
depends  not 
ey  will  con- 
t  task  before 
»f  their  adop- 
in  no  boast- 
largely  more 
e  age  in  any 
lily.    I  know 
0  have  lived 
or  of  Minne- 
icpect  to  find 
i'amily  of  the 
.    They,  and 
r  reward  in  a 


on  of  Minne- 
Bnted  Colonel 
neer,  an  obitu- 
ogress  of  this 

nd  of  the  first 
of  the  second 
meed  short,  as 

Gentiles  him- 
in  the  posses- 
tie  either  is  or 
plural,  signify- 
Ill;  and  there- 
and  without  an 

id  has  been  for 


more  than  a  year.  The  latter,  wliich  is  the  Indian  name,  is 
agreed  tii)ou  universally  as  tlic  aj)[)ropriatc  name  for  it,  the 
word  signifying  shy-tinted  wafer  ;  m  hcrefore  it  is  clearly  proper 
to  name  it  tlie  Minnesota,  aside  from  the  fact  that  we  need  to 
save  wliut  few  names  in  the  calendar  of  6aint3  that  are  not 
appropriated,  for  the  brood  of  next-year  villages;  and  St. 
Peter  Avili  be  wanted  to  christen  a  town  to  rival  St.  Paul. 

Minncsr  *'  conij)iise8  a  vaoi;  area  —  certainly  largo  enough 
for  a  state  —  extending  through  more  than  six  degrees  of  lati- 
tude, and  in  width  from  the  Missouri  on  the  west  to  the  St. 
Croix  on  the  east — that  is,  it  extends  cast  of  the  Mississippi 
river.  The  portion  lying  cast  of  the  Mississippi,  or  between 
Wisconsin  and  the  Mississippi,  is  a  comparatively  narrow  seg- 
ment ;  but  of  the  part  even  on  the  east  side,  all  the  northern 
portion  still  belongs  to  the  Chippewa  Indians,  and  embraces 
immense  forests  of  hard  wood  and  of  pine,  through  which  the 
Mississippi  and  its  tributaries  roll  their  dark,  solitary  waters. 

In  the  north  is  Red  river,  a  sluggish,  deep  river,  navigable 
for  batteaux,  Durham  boats,  and  steamboats.  It  rises  in  Min- 
nesota, and  flows  northeast,  that  river  and  the  Mississippi 
flowing  off  in  opposite  directions,  and  the  portages  between 
their  waters  being  very  short. 

The  Missouri  river  is  not  navigable  for  steamboats  as  far  up 
as  the  Minnesota  line,  ordinarily,  without  the  removal  of  ob- 
structions. 

The  Mississippi  river  is  navigable  always,  when  open,  to 
Fort  Snelling,  which  is  six  miles  southwest  of  St.  Paul,  and 
yet  uj}  the  river !  At  Fort  Snelling  the  Minnesota  pours  in 
its  deep,  quiet  volume,  being  a  stream  about  the  same  size  as 
the  Mississippi,  which  comes  hurrying  down  from  the  falls  of 
St.  Anthony,  nino  miles  above,  to  join  it  below  the  promontory 
on  which  sits  Fort  Snelling  like  a  lazy  old  sentinel. 

The  Minnesota  river  is  navigable  ordinarily  to  Traverse 
dep  Sioux,  one  hundred  miles,  and  extraordinarily  another 
hundred  miles  and  more.  It  seems  al)out  the  same  thing  as 
far  up  as  you  choose  to  run  a  boat— generally  deep,  rather 
narrow,  ratlier  sluggish,  and  very  crooked ;  suitable  only  for 
short  boats  in  any  stage  of  water,  and  very  likely  in  low  water 

2 


s 


26 


MINNESOTA  AND  ITS   RESOURCES. 


i  I    I 


not  navigable  at  all,  without  improvement,  above  the  rapids, 
forty  miles  above  its  mouth. 

The  St.  Louis  river,  emptying  into  the  west  end  of  Lake 
Superior,  is  navigable  to  the  falls,  twenty  miles,  for  large 

vessels. 

The  St.  Croix  is  navigable  from  its  mouth  nearly  to  the 
falls  of  St.  Croix,  sixty  miles,  but  is  shallow  above  Stillwater. 
Boats  such  as  now  navigate  the  Mississippi,  therefore,  seldom 
go  above  Stillwater.  A  small  boat  ran  all  last  season  from 
Stillwater  to  the  falls. 

Minnesota  abounds  in  lakes.    Between  the  St.  Croix  and 
the  Mississippi  they  seem  to  be  innumerable,  and  they  are 
also  frequent  west  of  the  Mississippi.     Their  shores  are  chiefly 
of  gravel  or  pebbles,  and  usually  one  or  the  other  side  of  the 
lake  is  covered  with  a  growth  of  timber.     The  water  is  rather 
shallow,  clear,  cool,  and  entirely  destitute  of  the  qualities  of 
the  boggy  marshes  and  sloughs  of  the  south.     Many  of  the 
lakes  are  covered  with  wild  rice,  and  are  alive  with  waterfowl. 
Frequently  the  lake  opens  at  one  end  into  a  tamarac  swamp, 
filled  with  young  tamaracs  (a  tree  resembling  the  spruce)  as 
thick  as  they  can  stand.     Through  this  swamp  the  water  then 
passes  out  into  another  basin,  a  little  less  elevated,  which  it 
fills,  and  makes  another  lake ;  and  thus  there  is  often  formed 
a  succession  of  lakes,  connected  by  a  spring-stream  that  runs 
througli  them  all. 

Near  Lake  Superior  there  is  an  elevation  of  land,  that  ap- 
proaches the  dignity  of  a  mountain ;  but  the  nearest  approach 
to  mountains  elsewhere  is  in  the  towering  bluffs  along  the 
shores  of  the  Mississippi,  and  from  Dubuque  to  St.  Paul  these 
bluffs  are  really  the  grandest  feature  of  western  scenery.  Ex- 
cept these  bluffs,  and  the  dense  forests  of  the  great  woods, 
there  is  no  portion  of  this  vast  territory  where  a  loaded  wagon 
may  not  be  driven,  provided  the  streams  can  be  crossed. 

Viewed  from  a  distance,  the  ranges  of  bluffs  in  Minnesota 
have  the  irregular  outline  of  mountains  seen  in  other  states. 
But  the  very  apex  of  the  highest  of  them  may  always  be 
reached  on  one  side  by  an  easy,  gradual  slope.  We  do  want 
mountain  scenery  here,  as  well  as  everywhere  in  the  valley 


he  rapids, 

I  of  Lake 
for  large 

irly  to  the 
Stillwater, 
ire,  seldom 
jason  from 

Croix  and 
I  they  are 
are  chiefly 
side  of  the 
er  is  rather 
qualities  of 
any  of  the 
waterfowl, 
rac  swamp, 
I  spruce)  as 
water  then 
"A,  which  it 
ften  formed 
m  that  runs 

nd,  that  ap- 
st  approach 
i  along  the 
.  Paul  these 
mery.  Ex- 
re  at  woods, 
aded  wagon 
•ossed. 
I  Minnesota 
)ther  states, 
always  be 
We  do  want 
I  the  valley 


GEOGRAPHICAL   AND   GENEKAL  FEATDEES.  27 

of  the  Mississippi  river;  and  have  often  thought  we  could 
nftord  to  give  away  one  of  our  smooth,  fertile  counties  for  one 
ot  tlie  W  hite  hills,  to  be  planted  down  in  the  middle  of  Miu- 
nesota. 

At  Rock  island,  and  east  of  Rock  island,  for  hundreds  of 
miles,  and  probably  west  also,  there  is  a  ridge  in  the  shell  of 
the  earth  (making  the  rapids  of  the  Mississippi  and  Rock 
rivers  there),  which  divides  the  region  north  and  south  of  it, 
by  an  isothermal  line,  that  varies  very  sensibly  the  climate 
and  temperature,  as  you  proceed  north  or  south  of  it,  making 
a  change  much  greater  than  is  indicated  by  the  parallels  of 
latitude -the  slope  south  of  the  ridge,  presenting  a  plain  of 
vast  extent   which  is  very  slightly  convex,  north  and  south, 
and  upon  all  winch  the  rays  of  the  sun  fall  about  equally  ver- 
tical, while  north  of  the  ridge  is  another  slope  extending  as 
far  north  as  Sauk  rapids,  with  a  more  northern  inclination,  but 
upon  the  whole  expanse  of  which  the  rays  of  the  sun,  fall  near- 
ly equally  vertical.     At  Sauk  rapids,  crops  out  another  ridge 
or  backbone  of  granite,  extending  east  and  west,  north  of 
which  extends  another  wide  plain,  very  slightly  convex  north 
and  south .  but  /ww  far  north,  we  have  not  been  there  to  ob- 
serve,  probably  to  the  high  lands  dividing  the  sources  of  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Red  river  of  the  North.     Hence  we  uni- 
versally  observe  that  they  have  winter  and  sleighing  weeks 
eadier  at  and  above  Sauk  rapids,  than  between  Sauk  rapid 
and  Rock  island  ;    and  weeks  earlier  between  Rock  island 
and  Sauk  rapids,  than  in  the  great  slope  below  Rock  island. 
These  ridges  upon  the  globe,  east  and  west,  may  be  compared 
to  the  ridges  sometimes  observed  upon  an  egg,  and,  in  our 
opinion  make  an  important  feature,  in  explaining  the  pheno 
.cna  of  climate,  which  has  not  been  heretofore  ^observer  or 
commented  upon  by  geologists,  as  it  deserves  to  be.     As  a 
proof  of  the  correctness  of  this  view,  drawn  from  our  own  oC 

stni  tH;  "VT''' 1 '''  ''*'"'^'"  '^  ^^^^'^"^^«  ^^'-  *^^«  ^^--3- 
f'Les    f  r  :r  '""^^'  ^^""^^^^  *^-  development 

tW-1  .'^'  ^"  '^''  'P""^'  ''  «^««^-vaWe  in  passing  both 

ranids     T ir  '^^^^'^t  I^ock  island  and  that  at  Sauk 

lapids.    The  seasons,  therefore,  are  about  the  same,  through 


28 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURClS. 


the 


from  Bank  rapias  down  to  Rock 


«::;:t:,::"::f.;;:s,— ^^^^^^ 

..eU».  sin-h,gs.  lakes,  ov  Btrca„,s.    ^'^     >  ~    „,,,L, 

y,,V«-,«Z  «»<?  mental,  that  ^^^  ';S"\  ;„  jj„rt,,  America, 

superior  to  any  othev  new  ^'^t^, «'    "'^Te^vool  in  OWo,  more 

tl.e  mercu-y  congca  «  '->  P'''^^  ^^^  .^  ^,,„„  ,,;„  a,  death- 

Lealth  we  ^^^rtCt  uU  berotable  in  St^Louis.    In 
ofaaegveeofcoldtWwou  ^^^^   ^^^  ^ 

r ""'  fTom  spring  until  harvest,  and  n>ost  of  them  in  the 
showers,  ftom  ^P  »'g  "  ^,,^  ^„„  ,eems  scarcely  to  go 

short  nights.    At  miclsummL  pacific,  be- 

aown  in  the  west  to  ;-;,^-/;  ^^^^t  Xe^east.  At  nine 
fore  we  agam  behold  ''"'/''ff  f^„  .earcely  too  dark  for  your 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  it  is  then  «»»'««  y  ,  „„i. 

.ives  and  ^.™g"- |°  ,^;  ^I  f  \,,2h  atZt  were  a  terrible 
tiply  mosquitoes.     T^^se  insects  .^^  g,  p,„, . 

annoyance,  have  about  ceasert  to  oe  ■^^^^^^„  indeed 

we  made  no  use  of  mosquito  bars  ast  ff  f ";  ^„"7a;,.,g,.tf«l 
often  until  the  middle  of  December,  -  -7"  "J.^^^^  ,„a 
.,„„y  a-vys  vising  by  degrees  in    ^^  3^^of^,^  ^^^;„  „, 

r;::.Te"::;e -errercHlling  w^ds,  and  shivering. 


GEOGRAPHICAL   AND   GENERAL   FEATURES. 


29 


■n  to  Rock 
•e  south  evn 

the  Avhole 
ock  island. 
Muscatine, 
climate  bc- 
L-ceptible. 
3  salubrious 
n  a  case  of 
r,  either  in 
ol,  heahl'frd 
ous  exertion^ 
[Comparably 
•th  America. 
1  Qhio,  more 
innesota  can 
gather,  when 

out  of  doors 
1  as  death  — 
[ — every  hu- 
.  of  warmth. 
.  the  vigorous 
joyment  here, 
5t.  Louis.     In 

but  frequent 
'  them  in  the 
carcely  to  go 
lie  Pacific,  be- 
east.     At  nine 
dark  for  your 
t  showers  mul- 
were  a  terrible 
le  in  St.  Paul ; 
lutumn,  indeed 
m  of  delightful 
3f  winter  ;  and 
table  season  of         M 

and  shivering, 


drizzlinn^  rain-storms,  usually.  It  is  very  uncommon  to  have 
a  winter  as  open  as  the  past  has  been.  Sleighing  generally 
continues  good  here  through  all  the  winter  months.  The  river 
generally  closes  about  the  fifteenth  of  November,  and  opens 
the  last  of  March,  and  a  boat  may  generally  be  expected 
early  in  April ;  but  before  it  closes,  sup_)lies  are  brought  up 
for  the  semi-annual  payment  to  the  Sioux,  Chippewa,  and 
Winnebago  annuities.  All  these  Indians  are  paid  in  Minne- 
sota. The  aggregate  amount  of  annuities  paid  them  in  cash 
and  goods,  including  what  the  Sioux  will  receive  under  the 
treaties  recently  ratified,  and  the  cost  of  transportation, 
amounts  to  several  hundred  thousand  dollars.  These  pay- 
ments, and  the  supplies  furnished  to  Fort  Ripley  and  Fort 
Snelling,  and  the  goods  and  provisions  furnished  by  the 
traders  to  the  Indians,  constitute  much  the  largest  share  of 
the  business  heretofore  done  by  steamboats,  at  the  port  of  St. 
Paul. 

The  Indian  trade  is  carried  on  chiefly  by  factors  or  agents 
of  a  few  large  establishments,  which  have  their  outfits  or  de- 
pots at  St.  Paul ;  these  agents  are  at  different  points  in  the 
Indian  country,   but  mostly  near  where  the   payments    are 
made.     They  buy  furs  and  peltry ;   but  their  chief  business 
is  to  sell  goods  to  the  Indians,  at  a  profit,  in  anticipation  of 
payments.     An  Indian  hunter  requires  his  outfit  of  ammuni- 
tion, blankets,  guns,  and  a  variety  of  necessaries  for  himself 
and  his  family.     When  he  returns  from  his  hunt,  he  general- 
ly sells  his  furs  to  the  outfit  that  furnished  him.     If  any  bal- 
ance remains  due  to  uie  outfit,  he  does  not  pay  it,  but  it  is' 
expected  to  stand  as  a  charge  against  the  annuity,  if  there  be 
an  anauity  ;  or  if  not,  then  against  the  contingency  of  an  an- 
nuity, to  be  paid  as  a  part  of  the  public  debt  of  the  tribe,  out 
of  the  ultimate  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  their  lands.     This  has 
been  the  established  mode  of  procedure  for  many  years ;  and 
there  never  has  been  a  time  when  the  trader  with  the  Sioux 
Indians  could  discontinue  and  refuse  to  extend  these  credits, 
without  an  absolute  certainty  of  forfeiting  all  former  balances 
due  to  him,  for  the  supplies  of  previous  years. 

W^e  might  say  something  of  the  admirable  oaks  and  rock 


I 


MINNESOTA  AND  m  EESODKOKS. 


■lit 


80 

,  .  „ml  bl.ck  w«ln«t»,  fou..a  in  the  flig  wocIb,  wl.icl.  for 

,„o„  only  go  up  "«  f^^j^  2'^. ;\  t„t  „  few  miles  above  St. 
river,  a  tnbntary  of  the  ^^'f^'^lVP.'  .  „;  .„a  .ho  St.  Croix. 
Anthony,  lying  between  ^'^l.^'^'^JZitX  Grol.,  <^n<i 
l-rom  that  region  eon,es  mere  y  t^"  P  "«  °;;:  \^^  „j,,„  tvibu- 
„f  the  Mississippi.  But  far  above  ««■"  7;'^;;"^  .„,  timber 
,.ries  of  the  ^^^^^^^Z^::  ^amon  falls, 
on  the  shoves  of  the  Mississippi  ^^explored  tributaries, 

in  the  Chippewa  <:^y^;:^  ^^^^  centuries  will 
besides,  properly  m  ^^^ P^"^J'5\^"  '   We  are  ashamed  that 

^'^There  are  many  saw-mills  on  the  St.  Croix;  ei^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
St  Anthony  propelled  by  water,  and  four  at  St.  1  aul  piope 
bt.  ^""'^^y  l*  J       .    /^^  the  best  business  doing  m  St.  1  aul. 
by  steam,     bawing  is  icn  stumpage  in 

mills,  now,  m  St.  i-aul.  ii  ■  :>'  ^  ,  j  „f  sl,i„gles, 
it  could  be  taken  to  .<;  •"^«;.,^;"';,",Tal  here,  a  p.atent 
lathing,  planed  floor.ng  ^"'1  «'^"S-  ,    ^j,^  t.^je  of  the 

.ooden  ware  factory^a.-ge    no«^    to  supply  ^^  ,,y.  lumber- 

^hole  r,ver  f^"  '  J/^  "^ent  foolishly  undertake  to 
:?  :r;:::S  :^^l  -d  immigration  throughout  the 
^Ivllltr^tdXtte.  indueementsfor  agriculture 
*nr:itr :;tr-in':b^l>  the  labo,  of  »„«  man  wiU 


GEOGEAPHICAL   AND  GENERAL   FEATURES. 


81 


ivliicli  for 

value  to 
y  of  piiio 
jat  extent 
ir  lumber- 
ancl  Hum 
above  St. 
St.  Croix, 
ji'oix,  and 
tlier  tribu- 
iue  timber 
imon  falls, 
;ributai'ies, 
furies  will 
lametl  tbat 
)ur  munifi- 

of  fertile 
ily  of  pine 
jlains  habi- 

o-lit  saws  at 
il  propelled 
in  St.  Paul, 
tumpage  in 
icli  beyond 
fom  St.  An- 
steam  saw- 
were  made, 
of  shingles, 
jre,  a  patent 
trade  of  the 
aay,  lumber- 
mdertake  to 
roughout  the 

r  agriculture 
3ne  man  will 


.'^ 


produce  more,  n'ill  yield  a  Inrgcr  surplus  above  his  own  neces- 
sities, than  any  other  western  state  or  territory  can  boast  of. 
We  have  none  of  the  languor  and  debility  and  agues,  that 
turn  men  into  feeble  women,  in  the  harvest-tield,  as  they  have 
south  of  us.  Labor,  here,  stands  up  firmly  on  its  legs,  the  year 
round,  and  drives  things  through. 

2d:  We  have  as  good  land  —  it  is  useless  to  say  better- 
but  as  good  as  there  is  in  the  world.     For  fertility.  Cottage 
Grove  prairie,  or  the  whole  valley  of  the  Minnesota  river,  or 
the  valley  of  the  Red  river  of  the  North,  can  not  bo  beaten ; 
yes,  we  undertak*  to  say  that  at  Pembina,  in  latitude  49^ 
north,  they  can  raise  as  sound  corn,  and  as  much  to  the  acre, 
as  can   be  raised   anywhere  on  the  Wabash.     Now,   if  our 
readers  are  not  going  to  believe  us,  let  them  stop  short  here; 
for  we  are  prepared  to  make  a  wager,  that  we  will  raise  larger 
and  better  crops  in  Minnesota,  acre  for  acre,  of  any  or  all  crops 
ever  cultivated  in  that  state,  than  can  be  raised  in  Illinois. 
We  will  name  our  farmer,  living  here,  for  our  champion,  and 
will  back  him  up  with  our  money.     There  is  time  enough. 
May  is  soon  enough  here.     We  will  give  Illinois   May  the 
start,  and  Minnesota  shall  come  out  ahead.     Don't  care  what 
the  crop  is — any  grain,  any  root — anything  from  a  castor 
bean,  or  an  apple  or  pear  tree,  or  a  pumpkin,  to  a  sweet  pota- 
toe  or  a  tobacco  plant.     Why,  sucker,  do  you  know  you  have 
frosts  about  two  weeks  earlier  in  Illinois,  than  we  do  here  ? 
It  is  a  fact !     We  will  show  these  people  sights,  who  come  up 
here  in  May,  and  go  shivering  back  home,  saying  that  Minne- 
sota is   "too  cold  for  craps''      We  can   beat   them,  too,  at 
stock-growing,  can  raise  hardier  cattle  anH  sheep,  and  thicker 
meated,  sweeter  beef,  than  they  can  anywhere  down  South. 
We  feed  stock  a  fortnight  longer — but  what  of  that?     Our 
cattle  are  healthier,  our  grass  is  sweeter  and  more  luxuriant, 
and  our  water  better  for  stock ;  and  we  can  make  more  at  rais- 
ing stock  here  at  the  same  prices.     But  we  have  higher  prices 
here  for  meat  and  for  all  produce — and  always  must  have,  hav- 
ing soldiers,  lumbermen,  and  Indians,  to  feed,  and  make  us  a 
home  market.      The  cost  of  shipping  produce  from   below, 
operates  as  a  perpetual  tariff  to  protect  our  farmer.     He  gets 


32 


MINNKSOTA    AND    IIS    KK80UK('K.9. 


tho  Ramo  price  lio  could  below,  and  tlio  cost  of  freight  nnd  the 

charp'cs  beside.  - 

Wild  game,  except  water-fowl,  wo  do  not  couBidcr  abundant 
in  these  parts;  but  wo  have  tl.e  fattest  ducks  and  geese  Iced- 
ing  upon  the  rice  lakes,  and  the  most  of  then.,  that  you  ever 
saw  or  hoard  of.     As  for  f.sh.  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that 
Minnesota— her  rivers  and  streams,  but  especially  lakc^  — arc 
alive  with  then..     Wo  will  warrant  all  fishermen  m  all  parts 
of  tho  world,  an  abundance  of  sport  and  of  success  m  hslnng. 
You  can  catch  just  as  many  bass  and  pickerel  as  you  want.    In 
tho  river,  wo  catch  not  only  the  catfish  (none  of  your  slimy, 
muddy  cats,  either),  but  also  tho  wall-eyed  pike,  a  most  deli- 
cious  fish.     In   many  streams   tho   speckled   trout   abounds, 
varying  in  size  from  fivo  inches  to  two  pounds.     But  it  is 
idle  for  a  novice  to  try  to  catch  trout.     It  is  as  ticklish  a  busi- 
nesv  as  fortune-hunting. 

On  tho  west  shore  of  tho  river,  are  the  Sioux  Indians,     i  hey 
are  daily  on  the  east  side,  begging  some,  trading  a  little,  and 
8ome  of  them  stealing.     They  never  speak  English,  even  if 
they  do  know  a  few  words  of  it.     They  are  civil  men,  women, 
and  boys.    At  night  they  generally  paddle  (that  is,  the  squaws 
paddle)  their  canoes  home,  across  the  river.     In  a  residence 
of  three  years,  we  have  not  seen  three  drunken  Indians  m  St. 
Paul,  of  any  age,  male  or  female.     We  state  this  as  an  aston- 
ishlnc'  fact,  creditable  to  tho  character  of  our  liquors,  but  still 
more^so  to  tho  Sioux  Indians.     They  are  under  better  moral 
influence  than  any  other  Indians,  perhaps,  on  this  continent. 
The  Sioux  treaties  having  been  ratified,  these  Indians  will  be 
removed  before  next  winter,  to  their  reservation  on  the  head 
waters  of  the  Minnesota  river.     A  great  many  people,  hun- 
dreds, are  living  now  in  tho  Indian  country,  making  all  sorts 
of  improvements,  including   expensive   mills.      Settlers    are 
pouring  in  there  every  day,  and  will  continue  to  do  so ;  for 
the  government  could  not,  if  it  would,  shut  out  the  swarming 
millions  of  our  countrymen,  for  a  distance  of  many  hundred 
miles,  of  country  treated  for,  of  which  the  river  is  the  boun- 

dnvv. 

It  is  hard  to  answer  the  question,  "  What  is  your  population 


^m 


OEOGRAPIIICAL   AND   OENKKAL    FKATCUK8. 


33 


[1  the 


nnt 


)un(lant 
80  t'ceil- 
'ou  ever 
f)ay  tlint 
D8 — arc 
ill  parts 
.  fishing, 
ant.    In 
ir  slimy, 
lost  deli- 
abountls, 
But  it  is 
b  a  busi- 

3.    They 
ittlc,  and 
,  even  if 
,  women, 
0  squaws 
residence 
ins  in  St. 
an  aston- 
I,  but  still 
ter  moral 
continent, 
ns  will  be 

the  head 
Dple,  hun- 
;  all  sorts 
ittlers  are 
do  so ;  for 

swarming 
y  hundred 

the  boun- 

population 


composed  of?"  The  people  who  constituted  Minnesota  when 
it  WHS  ()rjj;fiiiiz«'(l  wore  a  nnijority  of  tliom  ('anadians,  voifaqeura 
and  tlioir  faniirios,  and  half,  and  »|unrtor,  and  oi}j;lith,  and  bix- 
tocntli  brood  IiidiaiiH,  running  through  the  whoh;  ganuit  of 
colors,  from  the  dusky  Ind'.in  to  tlio  fair  Scotchnmn ;  and 
tliOHO  people  are  still  in  ^Minnesota  —  quiot,good  pcoplo,  though 
not  all  as  intolligcnt  and  energetic  as  the  scheming  Yankee. 
Tlioy  are  living  all  over  the  territory,  on  both  sides  of  the 
river,  where  our  organic  act  found  them,  and  gave  them  the 
political  rights  they  so  highly  enjoy.  Such  is  their  attach- 
ment to  our  Hag  and  our  government,  that  nowhere  could  vol- 
unteers be  more  readily  raised  than  among  them  to  fight  its 
battles.  Since  the  date  of  the  organic  act,  settlers  from  all 
parts  have  come  in,  from  the  east,  the  middle,  and  the  south. 
However  divided  upon  other  questions,  there  is  not  and  will 
not  be  in  Minnesota  any  disposition  to  sufler  any  infringement 
whatever  upon  the  rights  of  any  and  all  the  states  of  the  Union 
to  manage  their  own  domestic  affairs. 

The  Mississippi  river  is  just  as  navigable  all  the  way  up  to 
St.  Paal,  when  the  upper  or  lower  rapids  do  not  interrupt,  as 
a  river  can  well  be ;  although  there  have  been  times,  and  may 
again  be,  when  the  sandbars  interrupt  the  passage  of  boats  of 
the  usual  draught.  The  boats  running  here  are  of  the  same 
class  that  run  from  St.  Louis  to  Rock  island  and  Galena. 
There  are  always  two  if  hot  three  boats  regularly  running  be- 
tween St.  Louis  and  St.  Paul.  There  will  be  a  daily  line  of 
boats  the  coming  season  between  St.  Paul  and  Galena,  a  town 
with  which  we  have  a  large  and  growing  trade — most  of  our 
trade,  in  fact,  upon  the  river,  above  St.  Louis.  Dubuque,  how- 
ever, is  now  straggling  for  a  share  of  our  trade,  and  may  event- 
ually succeed  to  some  extent  when  the  railroad  shall  be  com- 
pleted to  the  Mississippi  opposite  that  town.  If  the  town  of 
Dubuque  had  the  "  go-aheaditiveness"  that  may  be  found  in 
Galena,  she  would  long  since  have  secured  the  Mississippi 
trade.  There  will  be  a  boat  or  two,  and  probably  more,  run- 
ning regularly  from  St.  Paul  to  points  on  the  Minnesota  river 
during  the  coming  season.  There  is  no  doubt  but  there  will 
be  two  boats  land  at  our  wharves  every  day  during  the  coming 

2* 


g 


34  JIIXNi;SOT.V   AND   ITS   KESOBRCES. 

«onso„.    For  «nfWy.  elegance  "^"-7"-f '■'"'"' J^',^™;; 
„,„1  nil  tl,..t  cons,U„to»  g.>oa  l.o«.i„6,  these  boats  a  .1  boa^«  en 

i„  tl,e   Bt.]>n.l  tva,lc   can  not  be  «'^P.»%^<\-     ?''f,  ,,     ^ 
Slave"  is  owned  and  con,n,andcd  by  Louis  Kobe  ts,  Ls,i.     bhe 
w  U    ,n.  on  the  Minnesota  in,n,ediately  after  the  opemng  of 
^^vigation,  but  we  presume  will  eventually  take  her  place  n 
21  It  Paul  and  Galena  trade.     Tln,«  it  ,v,ll  be  seen   hat  the 
ravcHer  and  the  immigrant  at  St.  Lonis,  or  the  traveller  com- 
:      m  Chicago  to  Rockford  by  railroad,  and  from  Kockford 
Galena  by  stage,  can  hardly  miss  a  good  boat  any  d^y   o 
St  Paul  •  and  we  learn  that  the  fare  will  be  very  low.     1  here 
!  e  no  s  ,ags  in  the  river  above  Galena-no  risk-never  a 
eanbot 'accident-no   cholera-nothing  to  P-ven    yo» 
coming  cheaply,  agreeably,  and  comfortably  ^^^V/nd 
to  see  Minnesota,  and  look  at  St.  Anthony  and  St.llwatei,ancl 
at  our  own  extensive  tow^n  of  St.  Paul,  which  rs  fast  tumbhng 
nx)  into  the  rank  of  cities.  .  , 

"^f  a  traveller  eomes  here,  and  ^^^'^^V^^  fj'^'T'J-^^ 
will  take  a  stage  to  St.  Anthony,  eight  m.les,  look  at  the  falls 
an    asprotty  a  town-site  as  the  Almighty  ever  fashioned,  and 
Uke  d.e  littfe  steamboat  "  Governor  Ramsey,"  above  the  falls. 
7sL  rapids,  about  eighty  miles;  and  if  he  does  not  say  he 
sees  the  most  delightful,  the  most  ebarmmg  land  and  i  v« 
ener^all  the  way  up  -as  far  as  he  chooses  to  ravel-that 
Ivc   iTy  out  of  doofs,  tl.en  we  have  no  sense  or  judgment     Or, 
if    e  wLts  to  see  what  the  practical  farmer  can  do  ,n  Mmne- 
ota^let  him  ride  down  to  Cottage  Grove.    Tins  .s  upon     e 
°  le  of  land  extending  down  between  the  confluence  of  the 
St  cl^ix  and  the  Mississippi.     The  farmers  there  raise  more 

0  1,    oots,  everything  that  is  good  to  eat  than  they  have  any 

1  for,  and  they  sell  a  handsome  -f  ™, -J^/X"  f^" , 
Paul  and  Stillwater.  It  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  nvei,  too 
Lno  trouble  about  Indians,  and  some  of  the  best  land  that 
ev  r  was,  not  yet  taken  up.  From  Cottage  Grove  you  may 
nroeeed  to  Point  Douglass,  a  place  of  much  promise,  and  sur- 
Cded  with  choice  land.  Thence  you  -U  pass  through  a 
charming  country,  thirty  miles,  along  tue  wes.  .ho>»  o.  L..k9 
St.  Croix,  to  Stillwater. 


: 


GEOGKA.PIIICAL   AND   GENKRAL   FEATURES. 


35 


rnlarity, 
boatmen 
"  Greek 
iq.     She 
ening  of 
place  in 
that  the 
Her  com- 
Elockford 
y  day  to 
.     There 
-never  a 
rent  you 
,  at  least 
'^ater,  and 
tumbling 

iosity,  he 
:  the  falls 
oned,  and 
I  the  falls, 
lot  say  he 
and  river 
vel — that 
aent.     Or, 
in  Minne- 
3  upon  the 
nee  of  the 
raise  more 
■  have  any 
'^ear  to  St. 
3  river,  too 

land  that 
)  you  may 
le,  and  sur- 

through  a 

if  T  oL-a 


Still watev  is  the  headquarters  of  the  outfit  and  lumbering 
done  above  it,  on  the  St.  Croix,  and  has  a  more  substantial, 
reliahle  business,  for  the  extent  of  it,  and  more  capital,  and 
less  pecuniary  embarrassment,  than  any  other  town  in  Minne- 
sota.    There  the  penitentiary  has  been  erected,  and  there  has 
been  located  one  of  the  land-offices  in  Minnesota — another  is 
in  Benton  county.     There  come  the  steamboats,  either  on  their 
way  up  or  down  the  Mississippi ;    and  although  you  might  go 
across  in  a  stage  from  Stillwater  to  St.  Paul  by  land,  you  will 
probably  prefer  to  go  around  in  the  boat.     But  urst  you  must 
go  up  the  St.  Croix,  and  see  the  busy  sawmills  at  the  Marine, 
Oceola,  Taylor's  falls,  and   the  falls  of  St.   Croix.     These 
places  are  all  actively  engaged  in  lumbering.     Being  back  at 
St.  Paul,  you  will  of  course  go  up,  four  or  five  miles,  to  Men- 
dota  and  Fort  Snelling.     Southwardly  from  St.  Paul,  about 
six  miles  up  the  Mississippi  river,  on  a  high,  smooth  promon- 
tory, standing  upon  white  sandrock,  is  the  fort,  below  which 
unite  the  Minnesota  from  the  southwest  and  the  Mississippi 
foom  the  northwest ;   but  an  island  extends  down  for  half  a 
mile,  and  keeps  the  channels  of  the  two  streams  separate,  ex- 
cept a  narrow  slough  or  cut-off  that  connects  them  just  below 
the  fort.     About  half  way  down  the  island,  on  the  Sioux  or 
west  side,  sitting  on  the  shore  of  the  Minnesota  river,  is  Men- 
dota,  which  has  been  incorporated  by  our  legislature,  and  is 
destined  to  a  rapid  improvement.     The  tenacity  with  which 
the  war  department  hung  to  the  large  tract  of  country  em- 
braced within  the  old  military  reserve  at  Fort  Snelling,  has 
been  the  only  obstacle  to  the  improvement  of  Mendota  here- 
tofore. 

Hurrying  back  to  St.  Paul  (and  the  bo-t  is  there  before  you 
think  of  it),  you  take  the  stage  to  St.  Anthony,  passing  through 
as  pretty  a  specimen  of  Minnesota  on  your  way  as  need  be ; 
and  you  are  soon  there,  although  you  might  go  in  half  the 
time  if  that  railroad  that  is  to  be  were  completed.  You  will 
find  St.  Anthony  a  right  smart  village,  very  neatly  built  along 
the  east  bank  of  the  river,  and  on  a  bench  a  little  back  from 

_.j ".,,•»  ii^oxi.c  ijic  laiia  auu  a  nne  region  we*     of 

the  river.    You  may  be  disappointed  in  the  grandeur  of  the 


m 


gf;  MTNNKSOTA    AND    ITS   KFSOURCES. 

fulls,  as  you  certainly  ^vill  bo  in  tl.c  .l/e  of  the  river,  but  not 
in  the  unsurpassed  beauty  of  both,  or  the  chammg  beauty  of 
the  whole  scene  that  surrounds  you.     The  mills,  eight  saws, 
you  will  find  actively  employed,  and  water  enougli  (if  the 
throat  of  the  channel  through  which  it  is  supplied,  oetweon 
the  island  and  the  shore,  were  sufficiently  deepened)  to  drive 
all  the  sawmills  in  the  world !     Less  than  half  a  mile  below 
the  milldam  (which  confines  all  the  water  passing  down  on  the 
east  side  of  the  island,  while  on  the  west  side  the  water  leaps 
nnrestraincd  down  the  falls)  there  is  an  eddy,  to  w^nch  lumber 
is  hauled  from  the  mills  to  be  rafted  down  to  St.  Paul,  distant 
bv  the  river  some  thirteen  or  fourteen  miles.     Look  upon  the 
niap,  and  you  will  see  that  St.  Anthony  is  only  about  two 
miles  north  of  St.  Taul.     A  railroad  of  eight  niiles,  therefore, 
or  a  plank-road,  would  be  of  great  service  to  both  towns.     1  hat 
steamboats,  fit  to  navigate  the  river  below  St  Paul,  never  can 
if  they  would,  and  never  would  if  they  could,  ma   c  a  difficult 
trip  of  fourteen  miles  for  the  sake  of  getting  two  miles  nearer 
to  Lake  Superior  and  to  the  north  pole  than  they  ai-e  at  bt. 
Paul,  in  competition  with  a  plank-road  or  railroad  eight  miles 
long,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  they  can  not  ami  do  not  do 
it  in  competition  with  common  roads.     An  extension  of  a  rail- 
road in  the  proper  and  natural  direction  (northerly  up  the  Mis- 
Bissippi  river  toward  Lake  Superior)  would  not  touch  St.  An- 
thony,  but  would  leave  it  several  miles  west  of  the  Ime^    We 
Bhould,  however,  favor  the  construction  of  a  road  by  St.  An- 
thony, a  place  where  all  travellers  will  desire  to  visit,  where 
there  will  be  much  manufacturing,  especially  of  pine  lumber, 
the  university  of  Minnesota,  and  a  place,  in  fact,  which  will 
ultimately  be  one  of  much  importance,  as  a  beautiful  retreat, 

and  a  place  of  quiet  and  repose.  -,     .  •  i    v-.     ,     ' 

St  Anthonv  is  said  to  contain  fifteen  hundred  inhabitants ; 
but  what  they  do  for  a  living,  beyond  the  few  engaged  in  lum- 
bering,  we  are  unable  to  say.  In  our  opinion,  the  ultimate 
hope  of  that  town  for  a  large  population  rests  upon  that  class 
of  retired  people  of  substance,  as  well  as  invalids  and  people 
of  fortune,  desiring  literary  privileges  m  a  retired^  beau-^.n. 
town,  who  will  certainly  be  more  strongly  attracted  there  than 


■% 

w 


■I 

•it; 


',  but  not 
)oaiity  of 
^lit  saws, 
h  (if  tliG 
,  between 
)  to  drive 
lie  below 
5vn  on  the 
ater  leaps 
ch  lumber 
Lil,  distant 
:  upon  the 
about  two 

tlierefore, 
ms.    That 

never  can 
i  a  difficult 
iles  nearer 

are  at  St. 
3iglit  miles 
[  do  not  do 
Q  of  a  rail- 
up  the  Mis- 
ich  St.  An- 

line.    We 

by  St.  An- 
v^isit,  where 
ine  lumber, 

which  will 
iful  retreat, 

nhabitants ; 
,ged  in  lum- 
he  ultimate 
)n  that  class 
I  and  people 
3d,  beautiful 
i  there  than 


oT:ooRArnroAL  and  :;enerat.  fkatures.  07 

to  any  place  we  know  of  in  the  Groat  Valley.  They  have 
tl.ore  a  newspn])er,  tl.e  ,SV.  Anthony  E:rpress,  whicli  is  really 
the  most  valuable  institution  they  possess.  Whatever  we 
could  do  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  world  to  such  advan- 
tages as  St.  Anthony  rCally  does  possess,  we  have  cheerfully 
done  and  written. 

All-Saints,  or  Hennepin,  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
opposite  St.  Anthony.  Here  is  the  old  government  mill,  and 
a  new  saw-inill.  and  many  other  buildings  have  been  recently 
erected  This  is  the  county-seat  of  Hennepin  county,  which, 
snice  the  reserve  has  been  taken  off,  and  Lake  Minnetonka 
has  been  dm^overed,  has  increased  in  population  very  rapidly. 
Ihis  county  has  been  organized  for  judicial  purposes  at  the 
last  session  of  the  legislature,  and  is  destined  to  be  one  of  the 
mosi  wealthy  agricultural  counties  in  the  territory.  'All  Saints 
or  Hennepin,  or  Minnehaha  (what  a  pity  they  can  not  find  "a 
name  iov  the  place),  is  in  all  respects  as  pleasantly  situated  as 
St  Anthony  tor  mill  purposes,  and  will  soon  be  a  flourishing 

V.T'r^  t      \  "'"''  ^'^^'^  ^"  ^^'^  ^'V  to  Fort  Snelling,  is 

Little  Falls,  where  a  small  stream  from  Lake  Minnetonka, 

passing  through  Lake  Calhoun,  leaps  down  a  perpendicular 

edge    some  seventy  feet,  in  a  way  to-  stir  up  a  great  many 

stupid  stanzas  and  swelling  odes,  and  sublime  distiches.     A 

few  miles,  three  or  four  back,  is  Lake  Calhoun,  which  it  seems 

to  be  genera  ly  admitted  must  be  considered  our  classic  lake  • 

and  all  the  little  poetasters  of  the  Union,  when  they  go  into 

that  region,  are  compelled  to  affect,  if  they  do  not  feel  poetic 

fervor;    they   catch    the   cacoethes  scribendi ;  and    soon    they 

break  out  in  couplets,  sonnets,  distiches,  odes,  descriptions, 

sketches^  and  various  other  phenomena  of  disordered  imagina- 

tions.     From  All-Saints,  you  might  take  a  pony  and  ride  a 

scape  of  ich  prairie  and  heavy  timber,  and  rich  bottoms,  like 
those  of  the  Hlinois,  the  grass  so  high  that  you  could  not  look 
ou   from  the  top  of  your  pony-or  through  the  Big  wood     or 

across  mil -streams,  past  newly-erected  dwellings,  large  fields 

recentlv  nlmiD-liofl  q«.i  ^^,,„„j   ...,_         ,        ,        *=  '   '"6^  "^'^s 

• .  -^—o-;  ''  ^^^^  xenccu,  preparatory  to  receiving  a  crop 

the  coming  spring-on  across  rolling  prairies  of  rich  luxuri- 


>    — 


I 


•S 


MWSV.SOTA    AND  ITS  KBSOUECVB. 

,     •       .„.nv  in  tl.c  wkle,  U»e  aronmy-looking  basin  of 

the  Minnesota,  tlio  '»^'='">f  ,™*  .  .,,„,  ever  flasl.ed  upon 
Katn,e,  in  «U  l,er  nnconccaled  ^-^-'y ' ^ ';^  "^^.^ly  uid  out 
mortal  vi-ion,  to  Henderson.    It  .8  a  town  r  ^  ,_^ 

on  the  Minnesota  river,  at  .ts  mos  ^Z'^' ^  l^^.e  lake,  on 
Blue  Earth,  and  "-^f^.^^raTln^dlX^^^  which 
the  Cannon  »v«.  to  t^^  "^Tpr  Minnesota.  There  has  been 
Lave  been  locatea  on  uie  u^^j  ^„vinfr  the  past  win- 

ahout  a  thousand  cords  o    wood  cut  ^^^t^^Zl  various 
ter,  to  be  boated  ^o- *»  S'.  Paul.    A  ^^^^  ^^^^^.._ 

other  improvements  aie  now  o^'ng  ^^^_ 

etors  — P>-:r:/frte*^^^^^^^^  ">"- 

the  country  west  of  the  M".neso  a  by  the  best  ^^^^ 

.onte.  AUho„|h  some  ^'X:'  tl'm'ilfrn"-  to  the  fort 
Traverse  des  fe.oux,  '*  j^^""^'  ^„„^.,„  „f  t,,e  ,iver  being 
and  agency  by  ^'^f^^^^^^^^.th.^ni  thence  west  of 
south  of  east  rom  the  ^»'    *;«"^  j^^,  „f '  ^i^ber,  of  sugar  ma- 

„orth  to  H-^;'-'^;„,^t::7io„t  five  miles,  where  it  is  met 
pie  pm.cpally,  "'«»  '^ J'^^^  ^  ^.,1^  irfe,  exten.^ing  to  tlie 
by  a  clean,  smooth,  "f '  ^"f  .7'    J„„.    a  road  has  been 

^^fui  ^woo^^^    t^^^^^^^^^^  and  supplies  have 

opened  '  ""'  f  ^       ^^^^  ^^,^      ^t  winter.    The  road  passes 
been  hauled  to  the  new  tort        P  ^^^  presenting 

by  -;-»^^  ,^;;jf  ;^,,'tg'    X"      ^'='"S  weU  watered,  well 
rbCc;:S.i^r%*r:irle'-land,and  convenient  to  a  We.er. 

"  Tvfv'elling  a  little  north  of  west,  at  the  distance  of  tbirty- 
fijmlles  frL  Henderson, where  the  river  -m- f^^^  po  n 
.L  nf  south  you  again  strike  the  Minnesota  at  Little  KocK, 
cast  ol  smm,  J""     ^  ,  f    j     ^jijeh  is  on  abeauti- 

rK:!'r  lower  line  of  tb^I-aian  rese.e  .  a      -^ 
7^  B^ ^nt  ne-a^  -  =--  ^^  ^^  »»  ^ 


GEOORAPHICAL   AND   GENERAI.  FEATURES. 


89 


;  basin  of 
oluptuoi'iB 
jlied  upon 
Y  laid  out 
below  tlie 
re  lake,  on 
icy,  which 
e  has  been 
e  past  win- 
nd  various 
["he  propri- 
ing  to  Can- 
-five  miles, 
nd  to  reach 
,nd  shortest 
,  below  the 
to  the  fort 
river  being 
;nce  west  of 
of  sugar  ma- 
ere  it  is  met 
nding  to  the 
id  has  been 
applies  have 
3  road  passes 
i  presenting 
s^atered,  well 
to  a  Western 

ace  of  thirty- 
}  from  a  point 
Little  Rock, 
,8  on  a  beauti- 
;  off  for  miles 
it  is  the  Little 
ve ;  and  some 
»  new  location 
d  wood  on  the 


Kouth,  and  tlio  Dcaver  river  on  the  north.  Both  those  streams 
are  susce]itil)le  of  being  made  to  drive  machinery  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  flour,  sawing  lumber,  &c.  Near  this  point  a  large 
farm  is  contemplated  for  tlie  use  of  the  Indians,  and  contracts 
liave  been  taken  for  ploughing  six  hundred  acres  of  land,  and 
making  twenty-four  thousand  rails,  the  coming  season.  At 
this  agency  the  Sioux  will  receive  annually,  hereafter,  forty 
thousand  dollars  worth  of  provisions,  and  eighty  thousand  dol- 
lars in  cash  annuities,  besides  the  goods,  iron,  salt,  &c.,  &c., 
provided  by  the  treaties. 

Here  will  be  located  the  agent,  interpreters,  blacksmiths, 
farmers,  and  other  employees  of  the  Indian  department. 

If  you  wish  to  come  down  the  crooked  river  in  a  canoe,  after 
passing  the  Big  and  Little  Cotton-Wood  rivers,  you  can  land 
at  Mankato  city,  just  below  the  mouth  of  the  Blue  Earth  river. 
Here  there  is  mucli  improvement,  and  this  point  may  be  termed 
the  head  of  steamboat  navigation,  even  in  high  water.     Above 
this  point,  after  passing  the  Cotton  woods,  the  river  becomes 
so  narrow,  so  very  crooked  and  shallow,  and  many  boulders 
being  in  the  channel,  that  steamboats  in  any  ordinary  stage 
of  water  could  not  get  up,  nor  turn  in  the  river  if  they  did  get 
up.     This  point  is  about  thirty  miles,  by  land,  from  the  New 
fort,  and  is  surrounded  by  valuable  agricultural  land.     Water 
power  in  abundance  may  be  found  on  the  lUue  Earth  and  its 
tributaries.     Descending  from  the  Blue  Earth  some  twelve 
miles,  we  land  at  Babcock's  Mills,  located  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  Minnesota,  and  surrounded  by  a  vast  supply  of  excel- 
lent  walnut,   maple,   basswood,  and   other  valuable   timber. 
Eight  or  ten  miles  by  water,  still  further  down  the  river  is 
Traverse  des  8ioux,  where  the  Upper  treaty  was  made  ;  and 
for  many  Aveeks,  hundreds  of  Dakota  lodges  stood  everywhere 
scattered  about  on  the  sloping  hillside,  shaped  like  loaves  of 
sugar,  taken  possession  of  by  the  ants,  that  hurry  in  and  out, 
and  seem  busy  to  no  purpose.     At  Traverse  des  Sioux  (the 
crossing  of  the  Sioux),  there  has  always  been,  and  still  is,  a 
well-worn  trail,  crossing  from  the  east  to  the  west  side,  con- 
necting Lake  Pepin  on  the  Mis-ssippi,  and  all  that  region, 
with  Lac   qui  Parle,  and  the  regions  watered  by  the  head 


40 


MINNESOTA   AND  ITS   RKSOUECKS. 


1 


■'  w 


^'liich 


,vate.-,  of  the  Minnesota,  nn,l  tl.o,  high  lam  »  m  ^^"«="  ™;.  "^^ 
flow  off  to  ,llff.-rent  seas,  all  tl.c  i.viucval  r.vcrs  -o      o    the 
cluvm  of  great  lakes.    Twenty  n,iles  l,y  ^vater  below  tl,e  1  av- 
e       is  Le  Suenv,  on  tl.e  south  si.le  of  the  river,  a  plaee  ,jh.ch 
'l  e  c Igy,  capital,  and  enterprise  of  some  of  the  n,e«hant8 
S     l'  ul,  iLe  already  n,a,lc  an  attractive  po.nt  on  the 
river.     Le  Snenr  is  on  a  slope  rising  from  the  shore  gradna  ly. 
I  ke  the  site  of  I'eovia,  Illinois.    It  is  not  only  m    he  m.dst 
of    ne  of  the  richest  and  n,ost  inviting '".Ions  for  .11  sor  »  of 
,„„„a„  enterprise  and  industry,  hnt  e  ,■'        ^^:^^^^ 
drive  across  a  region  of  groves  and  prmr    .  ^<'''';"  ^"^  2', 
already  made  a  road  over,  lies  the  r.eh  valley  of  Cannon  nver 
(he  River  La  Longne  of  La  Hontan),  which  -«11  have  its  easi- 
Kmost  natural  avenue  of  river  trade,  through  Le  Sueur 
and  down  the  Minnesota  river  to  St.  Paul. 

Thisls  the  hub  round  ,vhich  the  northwest,  from  Lac  qm 
Pavle  to  the  Missouri,  from  the  Missouri  to  the  Red  r.ver  of 
t^.e  North,  and  from  Red  river  to  Lake  Superior,  and  irom 
Lakes™  rior  to  the  Mississippi,  does  and  will  revolve,  turn 
ut  you  may-the  capital  of  the  territory,  which  from  a  h a  f 
LZlZts  ami  a  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants,  and  a  l.ttle 
iogTa  holic  chapel,  in  the  spring  of  1849,  now  numbers  hun- 
dils  of  new  buildings,  many  of  them  elegant ;  half  a  dozen 
sine  b  churches,  with  bells  in  their  steeples;  inhabitants  num- 
S  by  thousands,  surpassed  by  none  in  shrewd  foresjgh 
and  activity,  and  business  talent ;  with  a  corporation,  such  as 
U  t  •    t"    t    being  graded ;  a  mile  and  a  half  of  new  s.de- 
w-,lk  extending  L  whole  length  of  the  town,  sawed,  binlt, 
r,  d  'ndd  fo  ,  by  voluntary  contribution,  in  little  more  than 
Zt  we  k-  hn'ches  filled  on  Sunday-two  new  clmrches  to 
be  e  -ected  (another  presbyterian,  and  a  German  methodrst)- 
two  hotels  built,  and  two  more  very  Large  ones  now  bmld.ng 
one  at  each  end  of  the  town-saw-mills,  fourrdnes,  and  all 
sorts  of  enterprises  put  in  operation  in  a  twu,kh„g-a„  acad- 
Z  of  the  highest  grade  for  young  ladies,  pr-ojected  th.s  sea- 
Z    ana  the  thing  now  actually  commenced  -  a  stearnboat 
son,  ana  g  ,„,„„iw  neater  than  that  of  any 

other  town  but  Galena,  abo.e  St.  Louis.     These  are  only 


% 
% 


4 


OKOGRAPHICAL   AND   GENERAL   FEATURES. 


41 


h  vise  nri(l 
est  of  the 
tlie  Trav- 
lace  wliich 
mercliants 
,int  on  tlie 
graclually. 
the  midst 
rll  sorts  of 
hin  a  day's 
Nature  lias 
atnion  river 
ave  its  easi- 
;li  Le  Sueur 

om  Lac  qui 
led  river  of 
»r,  and.  from 
revolve,  turn 
from  a  half 
and  a  little 
lumbers  liun- 
half  a  dozen 
ibitants  num- 
iwd  foresight 
it  ion,  such  as 
of  new  side- 
sawed,  built, 
le  more  than 
w  churches  to 
methodist)  — 
now  building, 
dries,  and  all 
ng — an  acad- 
ected  this  sea- 
—  a  steamboat 
n  that  of  any 
hese  are  only 


some  of  the  changes  in  the  fortunes  of  this  vigorous  town, 
wliit'h  we  have  witnessed,  since  we  landed  in  St.  Paul,  on  the 
eigliteontli  of  April,  1849,  from  the  old  "  Senator,"  the  prompt, 
honest,  faithful,  old  "  Senator,"  Captain  Orrin  Smith,  wlio  now 
runs  the  "Nominee,"  and  whose  insides  —  engine  and  boilers 
—  ave  good  enough  to  wear  out  half  a  dozen  new  bodies. 

The  iirojectors  of  this  town  appear  to  have  had  but  the 

smallest  possible  ideas  of  the  growth  and  importance  that 

awaited  St.  Paul,  not  anticipating  that  it  would  be  either  a 

commercial  centre  or  a  political  centre  —  nor  that  it  would  bo 

the  capital  of  a  new  territory,  nor  the  centre  of  the  largest 

.  pine  lumber  operations  on  the  continent;  nor  the  seat  of  a 

new  surveyor-general's  office,  for  the  government  surveys  of 

,.  these  wide  regions ;  nor  the  point  of  trade  and  supplies,  of 

^  outfits  and  steamboat  operations  above  it  to  the  sources  of  the 

f  Minnesota  and  Mississippi  rivers.     The  original  plat  was  laid 

off  in  very  good  imitation  of  the  old  French  part  of  St.  Louis, 

"^  with  crocdced  lanes  for  streets,  irregular   blocks,   and   little 

Bkewdangular  lots,  about  as  large  as  a  stingy  card  of  ginger- 

.1  bread,  broke  in  two  diagonally,  without  a  reservation  fit  to  be 

*  called  a  public  square  —  without  a  margin  between  the  town 

and  the  river — without  preserving  a  tree  for  shade  of  all  the 

.J,'  majestic  ones  that  occupied  its  site,  the  ugly  stumps  of  whrch 

||now  disfigure  the  town — and  without  permanent  evidence  of 

•f  boundaries  made  by  the  survey.     In  fact,  it  was  a  survey  with- 

lout  measurement,  a  plan  without  method,  a  volunteer  crop  of 

(mildings  — a  sort  of  militia  muster  of  tenements.  So  much 
or  the  old  plat.  Then  came  in  Rice  and  Irvine's  addition,  up 
he  river,  commencing  at  Mr.  Neill's  church,  and  embracing 
lie  upper  landing.  This  is  laid  out  but  little,  if  any,  better, 
n  fact,  the  two  plats  appear  to  have  taken  a  ranning  jump  at 
nch  other,  like  two  rival  steamboats ;  which  having  inextri- 
ably  run  into  each  other,  the  passengers  and  crews  have  con- 
luded  to  knock  doAvn  the  railings  and  ran  along  together,  as 
,  no  craft.  Then  came  in  Smith  and  Whitney's  addition,  next 
^below  the  old  plat.  This  is  about  as  irregular,  being  laid  off 
%ipon  a  contracted  scale  also.  Hoyt's  addition  came  in  be- 
^lind  Smith  and  Whitney's,  bearing  n  strong  family  resem- 


43  MINNESOTA   AND   TIS   RESOURCKS. 

T.lancc  to  the  older   additionR.     Leach's   addition    comes   in 
above  Rice  and  Irvine's,  extending  far  up  town      Then  came 
in  the  Kittson   addition,  below  the  old  plat  of  bimth    and 
Whitney's  addition.     Kittson's  is  laid  off  in  smaller  lots  than 
any  of  the  other  additions;  and  its  streets  make  no  sort  of 
coincidence  with  other  streets  in  town.     It  wonld  save  im- 
mense cost,  and  prove  an  eternal  blessing  to  St.  Paul,  it  the 
whole  site  of  the  town  could  be  now  thrown  into  one  common 
field,  and  platted  as  it  ought  to  be,  with  large  ^^^^^'^f  ^"^  f 
public  ground,  with  straight,  wide,  regular  streets,  and  blocks 
and  lots  of  uniform  size. 

Near  St.  Paul,  above  and  below,  are  two  fine  mill-sti earns , 
and  from  springs,  rising  from  the  terrace  in  the  ^ear  of  the 
town  is  a  smaller  stream,  of  pure  water,  which  passes  down  to 
thi  river  across  Rice  and  Irvine's  addition.  This  stream  for- 
merly  passed  down  back  of  where  St.  Paul  is,  and  emptied 
through  the  ravine  in  Fourth  street,  into  the  river  at  the  low- 
er  landing.  It  is  sufficient  to  supply  a  large  city  with  water , 
and  the  corporation  intend  to  conduct  it  down  through  an  aque- 
duct,  to  furnish  the  town.     The  sooner  it  is  done,   he  better. 

Tiiere  are  two  steamboat  landings  in  St.  Paul,  the  lower 
and  the  upper.     Some  expenditure  is  needed  to  make  either 
of -them  complete  for  business  purposes  m  all  stages  of  water. 
At  the  lower  landing  there  is  wanted  an  embankment  down 
Sibley  street,  from  the  foot  of  Fourth  street  to  the  river  ;   and 
a  levee  along  the  shore-all  which  can  be  done  easily,  and 
some  progress  has  already  been  made  m  that  work      The 
levee  has  also  been  much  improved,  but  yet  requires  further 
improvement.     A  want  of  space  on  the  levee  ^^^^^  ^PP^?*' 
and  it  will  by  no  means  afford  the  necessary  facilities  for  the 
business  of  the  summer.    At  the  upper  landmg  a  bridge  has 
been  built  above  high-water  mark  from  the  mainland  across 
the  slough  to  the  river  bank.     Between  the  two  landings  is  a 
precipitous  bluff,  one  hundred  feet  high,  which  might  be  graded 
down  so  as  to  make  a  good  levee,  and  j3erhaps  at  some  time  it 
will  be.     Besides  these  two  landings,  there  is  in  Kittson  s  ad- 
dition, half  a  mile  below  the  old  lower  landing,  a  ^ewjanding 
being  made,  which  is  to  be  connected  witn  the  bluu  in  ui« 


i 


GEOCRAnilCAL   AND   GENERAL  FEATURES. 


43 


on  conies  in 
Then  came 
f  Smith  and 
lUer  lots  than 
ce  no  sort  of 
luld  save  im- 
t.  Paul,  if  the 
I  one  common 
eservations  of 
;s,  and  blocks 

mill-streams ; 
e  rear  of  the 
»asses  down  to 
his  stream  for- 
i,  and  emptied 
rer  at  the  low- 
ty  with  water ; 
rough  an  aque- 
e,  the  better, 
aul,  the  lower 
to  make  either 
tages  of  water, 
ankment  down 
the  river ;   and 
me  easily,  and 
at  work.     The 
requires  further 

very  apparent, 
■acilities  for  the 
ng  a  bridge  has 
aainland  across 
ro  landings  is  a 
night  be  graded 

at  some  time  it 
in  Kittson's  ad- 
;,  a  new  landing 
the  uluu  iu  tii6 


rear  of  it  by  a  plank-road  upon  an  embankment  across  the 
niMrsli  to  the  nnw  hotel  there  being  erected  —  the  "Kittson 
House." 

Tlic  gco/ogjj  of  Afinncsota  is  a  subject  to  which  we  have 
I   paid  but  little  attention.     The  portion  of  the  territory,  how- 
I  ever,  south  of  a  Hue  extending  east  and  west  through  Sauk 
I  ra])ia8  of  the  Mississippi  river  and  Patterson  rapids  of  the 
I  IMinnesota  river,  appears  to  be  of  the  usual  limestone  and  sand- 
I  stone  formation  of  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  below ;  while 
I  above  that  line  the  granite  crops  out,  and  the  formation  is 
I  clilefly  of  the  primitive  rock.     This  formation  must  be  much 
I  modified,  liowever,  as  you  approach  Lake  Superior,  which  has 
I  iK^en  the  theatre  of  the  most  gigantic  volcanic  movements  that 
I  Nature  ever  exhibited— to  which  we  are  indebted  for  our  rich 
I  copper  regions.     They  are  west  of  Lake  Superior,  where  chaos 
I  seems  tumbled  into  worse  confusion,  amid  gorges,  and  hills, 
;|  and  chasms,  which  art  alone  can  make  passable  or  even  jack- 
Jassable.     The  mines  are  situated  in  the  land  of  the  Chippe- 
4was,  and^are  yet  unwrought  to  any  extent,  but  known  to  be 
|as  rich  as  the  richest  of  those  mines  that  are  wrought  farther 
least,  along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Superior. 
.^     Relying  perhaps  too  much  on  the  dogmas  of  geologists,  we 
-were  for  a  long  time  incredulous  about  the  existence  of  coal  in 
Minnesota;  but  we  can  doubt  it  no  longer.     We  have  in  our 
possession  specimens  of  the  finest  quality  of  bituminous  coal, 
free  from  sulphur,  and  buraing  with  far  less  cinder  than  the 
coal  of  Rock  island,  which  we  know  was  found  within  a  day's 
drive  above  St.  Paul.     We  can  no  longer  doubt  that  the  coal- 
#elcls  of  Iowa,  passing  along  far  up  the  valley  of  the  Des 
jMoines,  cross  over  and  make  deposites  in  the  valley  of  the 
^lue-Earth  and  the  Minnesota. 

We  can  not  present  a  more  lively  picture  of  the  region  above 
Us,  to  Sauk  rapids,  than  the  following  account  of  "  a  trip  from 
Bt.  Paul  to  Sauk  rapids,"  copied  from  the  Pioneer  of  June  12, 

4851,  which  will  be  new  to  some  of  our  readers : 

I  "  Two  lines  of  convenient  stages  make  each  two  trips  a  day 
|i^om  St.  Paul  to  St.  Anthony  and  back.  We  left  on  Thursday 
Jiorning;  and  were  delighted  to  see  farming  operations  pro- 


1^1 


*ll. 


t.  I 


44 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


grossmp  — plonj,.lnnfr.  fcnclnp:,  plnntinfj— every wl.cro  on  timt 
clmnninf?  praiii,.,  wl.id,  is  spread  out  between  the  two  townn, 
a  tlistanco  of  eif,^ht  miles.  This  alone  inspired  ns  witli  fresh 
hope,  to  see  so  great  a  change  wrought  in  so  short  a  time  — so 
many  hundreds  of  acres  unr^  .•  tillage,  which  were  covered  last 
year  only  with  wild  grass  and  flowers  of  the  prairie. 

"A  mile  before  we  reached  St.  Anthony,  we  saw  its  bright, 
fiesh-paintcd  houses,  shining  among  the  distant  trees,  and  saw 
the  waterfall  glistening  in  the  sunshine,  and  seeming  more  like 
a  picture  than  the  original  of  a  picture;  but  as  we  approach 
nearer,  and  listen  to  its  sullen  roar,  and  see  the  spray,  and 
examine   more   closely   the   material   of  the   exhibition,  the 
cataract  becomes  a  grand  reality,  filling  the  beholder  with 
mingled  emotions  of  beauty  and  of  sublimity,  the  proportions 
of  which  depend  upon  the  constitution  of  his  own  mind.     Far 
away,  down  the  steep,  rocky  channel,  below  the  falls,  sweeps 
the  angry  current.     But  now  we  begin  to  see  the  pleasant, 
fresh-pamted  houses  of  the  villagers  on  the  right  hand  :  here 
a  cottage,  and  there  a  substantial  two-story  house,  and  there 
again  a  cheap  building,  without  cornice  or  ornament,  peculiar 
to  the  west— a  building  which  is  neither  a  one- story  nor  a 
two-story  house  (detestable  style  of  architecture)  — and  away 
upon  the  sloping  hillside  various  houses  in  the  process  of  erec- 
tion ;  and  piles  of  fresh-sawed  lumber  away  off  among  the  tall 
prairie-grass  of  last  year's  growth,  betokening  that  buildings 
will,  soon  be  there,  and  streets  of  St.  Anthony,  now  known 
only  by  reference  to  the  town  plat. 

"Here  are  stores— ncAv  law-offices— more  new  houses- 
more  piles  of  fresh-sawed  lumber— new  cellars  commenced; 
and  now  we  come  to  the  sawmills,  active  as  ever,  shingle- 
machines,  lath-factory,  lathes,  and  the  bustling  industry  of  men 
and  teams  in  and  around  the  mills,  like  a  big  heart  sending 
its  active  pulsations  of  business  all  over  town  and  into  the 
neighboring  country,  and  far  off  into  the  pineries.  Here  is  a 
company  of  gentlemen,  officers,  from  Fort  Snelling,  taking  a 
sirvey  of  the  village  and  the  waterfall,  from  the  terrace  back 
of  Main  street.  They  think,  and  truly  think,  that  St=  Anthony 
is  destined  to  be  a  famous  and  fashionable  watering-place— 


n-e  on  tliat 

two  tOWllH, 
witli  fresh 
fi  tiino  —  so 
overed  last 
e. 

'  its  bright, 
!s,  and  saw 
?  more  like 
5  approach 
spray,  and 
bition,  the 
ohler  with 
proportions 
lind.     Far 
lis,  sweeps 
i  pleasant, 
find  :  here 
and  til  ere 
t,  peculiar 
tory  nor  a 
and  away 
ss  of  erec- 
ig  the  tall 
;  buildings 
)w  known 

houses — 
nmenced ; 
*,  shingle- 
ry  of  men 
t  sending 
'.  into  the 
Here  is  a 
,  taking  a 
race  back 

An+linmr 
— J 

j-place — 


OKor.KAi'iircAr.  and  oenkual  features.  45 

tl.ftt  ncitl.or  Saratoga,  nor  Newport,  nor  Niagara,  can  offer 
cqunl  MulPcenuM.ts  for  a  sumn.er  resi.lence  to  invalids  and  pco- 
plo  of  IcMsure.  Now  we  pass  alo.g  Main  street,  and  here  seems 
to  be  an  unimproved  space  intervening  between  the  upper  and 
lower  part  of  the  town-to  the  uj.per  town,  which  Jertainly 
s  uMos  with  prosperity,  everything  looking  new  and  clean, 
hore^we  come  to  the  St.  Charles  hotel,  a  fine,  spacious  build- 
ing, full  ot  strangers.  What  a  contrast  within  a  few  months ! 
^^  hat  a  change  since  a  year  ago,  when  the  stranger  who  vis- 
ited fet.  Anthony  could  not  obtain  a  dinner,  unless  through  the 
compassion  of  some  citizen  he  were  invited  to  dine  a^some 
private  house ! 

"After  dinner  at  the  St.  Charles,  the  whistle  of  the  steam- 
boat  IS  heard  and  we  must  hurry  down  to  the  '  Govern'or  Ram- 
sey.^    This  boat,  the  first  that  ever  rode  in  the  waters  of  the 
Mississippi  above  the  falls,  was  built  by  Captain  Rollins  and 
others,  who  for  enterprise  deserve  the  lasting  gratitude  of  Min- 
nosota.     In  the  hands  of  such  men  a  comparatively  small  sum 
of  money  would  be  so  expended  as  to  open  the  navigation  of 
the  river  many  hundreds  of  miles  farther.     This  boat  differs 
ft^m  all  other  boats  in  having  locomotive  boilers,  consisting 
of  a  great  number  of  small  cylinders,  all  of  which,  coming  in 
contac   with  fire,  present  a  large  extent  of  boiler-surface  within 
a  small  compass,  for  the  generation  of  steam.     Contrary  to  the 
predictions  of  many,  the  boilers  do  not  become  crusted  with 
lime,  but  are  kept,  with  proper  care,  entirely  clean.     The  en- 
gines are  also  different  from  any  that  we  see  elsewhere  in  the 
west  and  are  very  perfect  in  their  way;  sols  their  manage- 
ment  by  the  engineers,  for  the  stern  paddle-wheel  responds  to 
tJieir  touch  quick  as  thought. 

''The  boat  being  small,  of  course*does  not  afford  very  com- 
pete arrangements  for  passengers.  There  is  a  small  cabin 
winch  sleeps  perhaps  a  do.en,  and  a  still  smaller  cabin  for 
adies.  The  freight,  of  course,  is  a  very  important  part  of  the 
business  of  this  boat,  and  especially  the  transporlcition  of  In- 
dian and^garrison  supplies..    Among  the  passengers  are  the 

^^^^^^^2'  ^i^ss-  and  several  gentlemen  and 


ladies  from  the  state  of  New  York— three  lad 


ies,  all  in  the 


46 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS    RESOURCES. 


hloom  of  health,  nnd  pnrticulnrly  fine-lookinj]^  womon,  who 
fltand  ill  the  rch-ition  to  each  other  of  f^rniulnioflior,  daughter, 
and  grand-daughter.  Now  the  hoat,  with  some  dilHcidty,  passes 
out  hetween  two  islands  into  the  main  channel,  and  heads  up 
Btrcam,  the  water  swift,  oh  how  8\»ift!  heing  just  at  tlie  head 
of  the  falls.  A  feehle  hoat  could  not  stem  the  current.  Fire 
up,  boys!  Dry  wood  this  season;  last  season  they  had  to 
burn  green  wood.  It  takes  half  a  cord  an  hour  to  run  the 
boat. 

•'  For  a  long  distance  on  our  right  extends  a  boom,  parallel 
to  the  shore,  by  which  mill-logs  from  above  are  turned  down 
between  the  island  and  the  east  shore  into  the  millpond.     The 
river  looks  much  smaller  than  at  St.  Taul,  and  seems  to  bo 
lifted  up  out  of  the  chasm  through  which  it  runs  below  the 
falls,  to  the  level  with  the  shores ;  or  rather,  which  is  the  fact, 
there  is  no  chasm  until  the  river  finds  one  after  breaking  over 
the  apron  of  rock  at  St.  Anthony.     As  to  the  shores  of  the 
Upper  3I?ssissippi,  there  arc  none  of  the  abrupt  bluffs,  such  as 
are  seen  down  the  river ;  but  the  land  comes  down,  by  an  easy, 
gradual  slope,  to  the  very  edge  of  the  water;  and  as  you  look 
aAvay  far  back,  and  see  the  smooth  land  now  covered  with 
green,  gradually  rising  as  the  view  now  recedes  from  the  river, 
far,  far  away,  the  remotest  object  is  a  swelling  ridge  of  prairie- 
land,  or  of  oak- openings,  on  the  right  hand  ;  and  on  the  left  a 
forest— nothing  short  of  a  dense  forest  of  vigorous  young 
trees,  as  far  as  can  be  seen ;  and  in  the  channel,  islands,  some 
of  them  large,  covered  invariably  with  a  heavy  growth  of  elm, 
hackberry,  maple,  and  cottonwood ;  and  whenever,  as  an  ex- 
ception to  the  general  appearance  of  the  shores,  there  is  any- 
thing assuming  the  form  ^f  an  abrupt  bluff,  it  is  crowded  with 
pine-trees.     Occasionally  a  spot  of  universal  beauty  bursts 
upon  the  view :  such  is  the  landscape  at  the  mouth  of  Rice 
creek,  or  Itasca  prairie,  or  the  eastern  shore  near  Swan  river. 
The  land  is  evidently  very  rich.     At  Itasca  we  noticed  the 
formation  to  be  a  bed  of  gravel,  upon  which  rested  a  body  of 
marl,  supporting  a  rich,  sandy  loam,  not  less  than  eighteen 
inches  or  two  feet  deep.     At  various  points  we  saw  extensive 
fields  under  cultivation— crops  of  oats,  potatoes,  everything 


0 


mnn,  wlio 
(1  nil  gl  iter, 
Ity,  pn8se8 
liondM  up 
t  tlio  liond 
.>nt.  Firo 
sy  had  to 
0  nin  tlie 

1,  pnrallcl 
netl  down 
nd.     The, 
['ins  to  })o 
below  tlu) 
J  tlie  fact, 
Itiiig  over 
es  of  the 
s,  such  as 
T  an  easy, 
you  look 
ired  with 
the  river, 
)f  prairie- 
the  left  a 
IS  young 
lids,  some 
h  of  elm, 
8  an  ex- 
■e  is  any- 
ded  with 
y  bursts 

of  Rice 
an  river, 
iced  the 

body  of 
eighteen 
xtenslvt" 
erythin^ 


f 


^^K 


OEOOHAPlnOAL  AND  OENEBAL  FKATTBJB.  47 

lan-l,  fields,  the  crops,  apeak  for  themselves  «„d    h„™  • 

wold  seem  expSv    o  fi        ,   ?    "'  ''''''«"•"'  "'^  Nature  it 
splitting  Zml^tli  f"  '  P      m"™"";""'  '■""''  ^"'-' 

.ait::;:::;':::':;!,:'™^.''':/--  *"»  *-es,  &«..  i„  .,„•« 

-  a  fore,t  „7t  ;!  ?!::  '"^'.^f-'^S-"'''.  picturesque 

swamp  we  do  not  know-  WB     .  "'  *"''  '"'>''"'d  """ 

tent  with  the  vast  exten't  „^'' f""'""  """"ty  ">ay  well  be  eon- 

of  ti.e  river,  .x^^t  it^i^ti;''::;:'"  f^"' 

-ape  which  we  can  recede  tnohi  I  dtwn'tf  """  "  """•■ 
pare  with,  unless  it  be  the  shore    of  tlT\r- "™''.  *"  •="■"• 

lower  rapids,  including  the  baeteound  of  if ''™''^P'  "'  "'« 
rose.  The  first  ni^I,?  J!  "^''^Sf"'""' of  Nauvoo  and  Mont- 
mouth  of  Elk  rivef  (Z^r  °"  ^T^  '^'  '"'"•  "'  *''« 
at  night.)    The  lert  Zrn-   "■""  ^"""^'y' ''°«''  »««  run 

attraftin^ourrttSnrnr^Zrot:"''"''  r,',"^  "■"" 
surprised -we  certainly  wer^_at  2  ?""^-  ^"  ^^^ed 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  Zr     eU!    f       *f  ™'  "'  ''""''» 

noeful  of  Winnebagoes;rrrlg^:  Z^ritdTf'"'^'  "  T 
payment.'    There  in  «  l,„«.o  v  ^,      "  "^®^^  goods  from  'the 

and  papooses,  and  baloSstorerth'"?'  T'f  ^''»^-»' 
nishik.  himself  «!».•„„  .v  :,.!    ."''  """f  ">«'■■  l>ead-chief.  Win- 

"Mostof  ♦!.„ *  '"  'T     ""^  "'"^  steering. 

Most  of  the  canoes,  on  the  approach  of  the  fteamboat,  elide 


J 


48 


MINNESOTA    AND    ITS   RI<:3f)UIlCE9. 


I 


out  into  some  little  nook  or  eddy,  near  tlie  shore,  until  our  boat 
has  passed.  At  short  intervals  we  find  farms,  Bome  of  them 
large,  and  all  giving  good  promise. 

"  The  •  Thousand  islands'  is  an  exaggeration  ;  hut  then  the 
islands  are  so  many  and  so  large,  that  they  seem  to  have  taken 
resolute  possession  of  the  channel,  as  if  to  drive  the  stream 
hack  — which,  however,  swiftly  glides  between  them,  giving 
the  boat  good  warm  exercise  to  brave  the  current.  We  come 
to  the  granite  formation  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  striking  out 
boldiy  across  the  river,  to  bar  the  channsl.  Useless.  What 
obstacle  will  not  the  power  of  steam  overcome  ?  The  boat 
dashes  across  through  ripple  and  eddy,  then  tacking  suddenly 
takes  another  course,  buffeting  the  stream,  escaping  the  rocks, 
and  riding  in  triumph  above  and  beyond  the  chain  of  rock. 
Good,  old,  primitive  granite,  how  familiar  you  look !  — the  very 
material  of  those  cragged  mountains  among  which  we  were 
born.  How  like  the  familiar  faces  of  the  old  men  does  it 
seem,  who  tottered  to  the  church  where  we  worshipped  in 
infancy  ! 

"  We  arc  at  Sauk  rapids,  and  here  the  boat  lies  panting  and 
cooling  herself  in  the  swift  w\ater  like  a  weary  beast.  Let  her 
rest,  while  we  walk  along  the  shore  of  the  rapids,  about  three 
miles,  to  the  head  thereof.  We  leave  the  boat  and  warehouse, 
and  th3  few  teams  that  are  busy  there  with  freight  and  pas- 
sengers. How  wide  the  river  is,  spreading  out  over  a  vast 
expanse  of  granite  fragments!  —  swift,  but  nowhere  precipi- 
tous, and  evidently  impassable  for  steamboats.  But  what  a 
chance  for  building  a  canal  on  the  east  bank,  by  simply  con- 
structing a  w^all  of  granite;  laid  in  cement,  without  excavating 
and  without  any  expense  but  a  wall  and  three  or  four  locks ! 
And  what  an  excellent  water-power  all  along  the  rapids,  with- 
out need  of  so  much  as  a  dam,  unless  perhaps  a  short  wing- 
dam  !  The  Indian  trade  is  now  mostly  concentrated  at  Watab, 
which  is  on  a  delightful  prairie  three  or  four  miles  farther  up 
the  river. 

«'  But  here  is  llusscll's,  at  the  head  of  the  rapids.  Here  is 
a  good,  comfortable  house,  stables,  oxen,  fat  swine,  large  en- 
closures, fields  of  oats,  and  everything  to  indicate  thrift  and 


itil  our  boat 
me  of  them 

but  then  the 
)  have  taken 
I  the  stream 
them,  giving 
.     We  come 

striking  out 
less.  What 
I  The  boat 
ng  suddenly 
ig  the  rocks, 
lain  of  rock. 

! — the  very 
ich  we  were 
men  does  it 
orshipped  in 

;  panting  and 
ist.  Let  her 
,  about  three 
d  warehouse, 
gilt  and  pas- 
over  a  vast 
here  precipi- 
But  what  a 
{  simply  con- 
it  excavating 
)r  four  locks ! 
I  rapids,  with- 
a,  short  wing- 
;ed  at  Watab, 
les  farther  up 

ids.  Here  is 
ine,  large  en- 
itc  thrift  and 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  GENKRAL  FEATURES. 


49 


good  living.  Here  reside  the  judge  and  the  clerk  of  the  court, 
and  courts  must  and  will  have  things  comfortable.  The  next 
morning  (Saturday)  returned  to  the  boat,  which  cast  off  her 
ropes  at  eight  o'clock,  and  we  swept  swiftly  back  through  the 
enchanting  scene  which  we  have  above  hastily  sketched— 
reached  St.  Anthony  at  4,  P.  M. ;  took  stage  back  to  our  own 
delightful  St.  Paul  and  the  labors  of  the  press,  highly  delight- 
ed, and  more  confident  than  ever  of  the  glorious  destiny  of 
Minnesota." 

The  gcographi/  of  the  Mississippi  between  St.  Paul  and  St 
Anthony  may  be  thus  illustrated  :  Sit  at  a  table,  with  your 
face  westward,  and  lay  your  left  arm  horizontally  upon  the 
table,  bending  it  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees.  Your  shoulder 
will  represent  the  location  of  St.  Paul,  your  elbow  the  location 
of  Fort  Snelling  (the  junction  of  the  Mississippi  and  Minnesota 
rivers),  and  your  hand  the  location  of  St.  Anthony. 

In  the  forear?n,  from  the  elhow  to  the  hand,  the  falls  have 
produced  a  parahjsis.  That  portion  of  the  river  is  not  navi- 
gable.  Therefore,  as  the  shoulder  is  nearer  the  head  than  the 
elbow,  and  nearer  the  head  than  a  paralyzed  forearm  can  be 
that  has  no  power  of  motion,  we  say,  with  the  utmost  truth  and 
reason,  that  St.  Paul  is  at  the  head  of  navigation  for  such  steam- 
boats  as  can  afford  to  run  in  the  trade  up  the  river  from  St. 
Louis  and  Galena. 

As  regards  temperance,  this  territory  is  well  adapted  to  the 
wants  of  the  temperate  and  the  intemperate.  The  legislature 
at  Its  recent  session  refused  to  pass  the  restrictive  law :  conse- 
quently on  the  east  of  the  Mississippi  the  spirits  are  manifest, 
when,  how,  and  where  they  please.  On  the  tvest  of  the  Misis- 
sippi,  by  a  wise  provision  in  the  treaties  by  which  the  Indian 
title  was  extinguished,  the  trade  and  intercourse  law  is  in 
operation,  and  spirituous  liquors  of  all  kinds  are  prohibited 
under  the  severest  penalties.  This  fact  is  noticed  particularly, 
because  It  is  very  important  thafevery  immigrant  should  un- 
derstand the  matter,  that  he  may  locate  to  suit  his  propensi- 
ties, ll.ose  whose  liberty  is  not  confined  in  bottles,  casks, 
and  decanters,  will  .s,,ffo,  far  less  inconvenience  by  making 
their  homes  in  the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi;  while  all 

3 


50  MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 

who  believe  that  potato-whiskey  is  the  staff  of  life,  are  at  per- 
feet  liberty  to  remain  east  of  the  "  big  river." 

In  these  random  remarks  about  Minnesota,  in  the  hurried 
sketch  of  the  territory  above  written— truthful,  but  rough  and 
without  method— we  have  omitted  to  mention  many  facts, 
which,  however  disconnected,  ought  to  appear  m  a  general 
view  of  the  territory.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  the 
country  extending  from  the  Mississippi,  below  the  Minnesota, 
south  to  the  Iowa  line. 

The  valley  of  the  Cannon  river  now  contains  many  settle- 
ments, and  is  a  fertile  agricultural  region,  well  watered,  and 
well  timbered.     Many  towns  have  sprung  into  existence  lately 
on  the  Mississippi,  within  the  nev  purchase.    Little  Crow, 
Hastings,  Red  Wing,  Wabashaw,  Winona,  Minnesota  City, 
Minneowah,   Mount   Vernon,   Brownsville,   and   many   otheiT 
towns  and  villages,  have  surprised  us  by  the  apparently  ma- 
gical manner  of  their  springing  into  existence.      In  many 
places,  where  one  year  ago  the  whoop  of  the  Indian  alone 
discurbed  the  quiet,  may  now  be  heard  the  hammer,  the  saw, 
or  the  puffing  of  steam-mills,  while  the  eye  beholds  all  the  im- 
provements necessary  to  the  comfort  of  a  large  and  rapidly- 
increasing  population.     The  distance  by  the  river  has  gradu- 
ally diminished  from  Galena  and  St.  Louis  to  St.  Paul.    River 
distances  at  first  are  always  exaggerated.     It  is  less  than  nine 
hundred  miles  from  St.  Louis  to  St.  Paul,  and  less  than  four 
hundred  from  Galena  to  St.  Paul.     The  course  from  Galena  to 
St.  Paul  is  more  west  than  north.     The  fare  between  St.  Louis 
and  St.  Paul,  with  elegant  cabin  accommodations  and  fare, 
has  usually  varied  from  eight  to  twelve  dollars ;   and,  from 
Galena  to  St.  Paul,  from  three  to  six  dollars.     It  will  be  very 
low  this  season.    When  the  traveller  comes  up,  he  will  reach 
Minnesota  pn  the  west  bank  of  the  river  long  before  he  reaches 
it  on  the  east  bank.     You  pass  twenty  or  thirty  miles  through 
Lake  Pepin,  with  odd-looking  peaks,  and  crags,  and  cliffs, 
overlooking  you.     This  lake  is  a  mere  widening  of  the  Missis- 
sipDi.     All  is  WisconBin  on  the  east  side  until  you  come  to  the 
St'Croix.    Entering  that,  if  the  boat  first  goes  to  Stillwater, 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND   GENKKAL   FEATUiiES. 


61 


re  at  per- 


le  hurried 
rough  and 
any  facts, 
a  general 
ioned  the 
klinnesota, 

my  settle- 
iered.  and 
mce  lately 
ttle  Crow, 
sota  City, 
any  othei: 
rently  ma- 
in many 
lian  alone 
ir,  the  saw, 
all  the  im- 
id  rapidly- 
has  gradu- 
aul.    Kiver 
s  than  nine 
18  than  four 
1  Galena  to 
sn  St.  Louis 
}  and  fare, 
and,  from 
irill  be  very 
I  will  reach 
i  he  reaches 
ilea  through 
and  cliffs, 
:  the  Missis- 
come  to  the 
Stillwater, 


you  find  that  also  widened  into  a  lake,  up  which  you  proceed 
thirty  miles  to  Stillwater,  Wisconsin  still  being  at  your  right 
hand.  But  Wisconsin  extends  no  farther  than  the  St.  Croix, 
up  the  Mississippi  river.  The  boat  stops  an  hour  at  Stillwa- 
ter; touches  at  Willow  river,  on  the  east  side  of  the  lake; 
stops  at  Prescott  or  Point  Douglas  again,  at  the  mouth,  and 
then  proceeds  up  the  Mississippi  again.  From  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  Croix  to  St.  Paul  is  thirty  miles.  You  pass  Cottage 
Grove  and  Red  Rock ;  and  Eere,  three  miles  below  St.  Paul,  is 
Little  Crow  Village,  on  the  west  bank.  Goiig  on,  you  pass 
around  a  great  bend  that  takes  the  boat  southwest,  and  in  the 
curve  of  this  great  bend  in  the  river  you  see  St.  Paul,  high  and 
far,  all  around,  under  and  upon  the  bluff,  and  upon  terrace  after 
teiTace  beyond  and  behind  the  bluff — the  giant  outlines  of  the 
most  vigorous  town  in  the  northwest.  At  St.  Paul  you  will 
find  stages  waiting  to  take  you  to  St.  Anthony.  If  you  stop 
in  St.  Paul,  you  will  find  good  hotels,  and  can  get  fair  board 
at  three  dollars  per  week.  If  you  conclude  to  stay  with  us, 
you  may  buy  a  lot,  and  put  up  a  small  house  in  ten  days.  For 
green  dimension  lumber  you  will  pay  twelve  dollars  per  thou- 
sand feet  at  the  St.  Paul  mills,  or  nine  dollars  at  St.  Anthony, 
which  is  quite  as  cheap,  or  a  shade  lower.  For  shingles  you 
will  pay  two  dollars  to  two  and  a  half  per  thousand.  You  will 
buy  nails,  glass,  putty,  provisions,  everything  you  want,  in  St. 
Paul,  about  as  cheap  as  in  Galena  or  St.  Louis.  If  you  are  a 
farmer,  love  liquor,  and  want  land  on  the  east  side  of  the  river 
—  good  land,  if  not  the  very  best — you  can  have  it.  Or  you 
can  go  over  to  the  west  side,  where  good  farms  may  be  had 
for  the  improvement,  and  government  will  not  ask  to  be  paid 
for  them  for  years.  Talk  of  California  or  Australia  as  you 
may,  there  is  no  country  in  the  world  which  affords  an  equal 
prospect  of  growing  rich  with  Minnesota;  and  while  gain- 
ing wealth,  you  can  enjoy  the  blessings  of  health  and  the  com- 
fort of  a  vigorous  family  growing  up  around  you.  No  country 
affords  better  facilities  for  schools  or  for  places  of  worship  than 
the  settled  portion  of  Minnesota. 


52 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS  RESOURCES. 


i 
li 

1 1 
1 

H 

j 

i  111' 


i 


.1 


CHAPTER  III. 

GENERAL    REMARKS    AND    REFLECTIONS AGllICULTURAL     ADVAN- 
TAGES  A     TALK     WITH     FARMERS,    CAPITALISTS,    MECHANICS, 

LABORERS,    TOURISTS,    AND    ALL    OTHERS. 

The  Reverend  E.  D.  Neill,  in  a  "  Thanksgiving"  discourse, 
delivered  on  tlio  2eA\\  December,  1850,  the  first  thanksgiving 
day  appointed  by  the  governor  of  the  territory,  after  speaking 
of  the  hardships  of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  other  portions  of 
the  United  States,  says :  "  No  such  distresses  have  been  felt 
by  us,  the  early  colonists  of  Minnesota.  Uninterrupted  gen- 
eral health  has  prevailed  throughout  the  land.  The  country 
so  far  has  been  as  near  an  El  Dorado  as  any  ever  found  be- 
neath the  skies,  and  its  fountains  are  as  renovating  as  any 
that  are  not  fountains  of  eternal  life.  While  the  cities  in  the 
valley  jcIow  were  filled  with  gloom  by  the  reappearance  of  that 
mysterious  scourge,  the  Asiatic  cholera  —  while  the  ploughs 
were  left  to  rust  in  the  field,  and  the  crops  to  remain  unhar- 
vested  —  we  were  permitted  to  pursue  our  callings  with  alacri- 
ty. Not  an  authenticated  case  of  the  death  of  one  of  our  citi- 
zens by  that  epidemic  can  be  discovered. 

**  In  addition  to  general  health,  we  have  been  free  from  the 
hardships  of  emigrant  life,  and  have  possessed  all  the  neces- 
saries of  existence.  Though  not  far  from  a  thousand  miles  by 
the  usual  route  of  travel,  northwest  of  the  city  of  St.  Louis, 
and  though  there  are  no  roads  to  our  settlements  from  Lake 
Superior,  or  the  capitols  of  Wisconsin  and  Iowa,  our  territory 
has  been  easy  of  access.  Instead  of  being  weeks  upon  the 
way,  toiling  with  oxen  through  swamps  and  pathless  forests, 
camping  out  by  night  with  scarcely  any  covering  but  the  fir- 
mament studded  with  stars,  and  with  no  lamps  but  those  hung 


AGRICULTURAL   ADVANTAGES,    ETC. 


53 


discourse, 
nksgiving 

speaking 
ortioiis  of 

been  felt 
pted  gen- 
e  country 
found  be- 
ig  as  any 
;ies  in  the 
ace  of  that 
le  ploughs 
a.in  unhar- 
dth  alacri- 
3f  our  citi- 

;  from  the 
the  neces- 
d  miles  by 
St.  Louis, 
from  Lake 
ir  territory 
I  upon  the 
ess  forests, 
3ut  the  fir- 
thoBB  hung 


in  heaven,  our  immigrants  have  been  speedily  transported 
Jiithcr  in  noble  and  convenient  r^^eamers,  and  with  but  little 
expenditure  of  their  means,  and  with  no  bitter  thought  that 
tlicy  had  been  obliged  to  leave  some  of  their  family  upon  the 
boundless  prairies,  a  feast  for  the  wolf  and  the  bear.  Nor 
have  any  of  our  inhabitants  been  destitute  of  the  necessaries 
of  life,  ||3^radition  declares  that  at  one  time  the  colonists 
of  Plymouth  were  reduced  to  a  pint  of  corn,  which  being 
parched  and  distributed  gave  to  each  individual  only  five  ker- 
nels.' The  new  settler  in  this  territory  has  always  had  an 
abundance.  The  farmer  has  added  to  his  gains ;  and  it  espe- 
cially becomes  him  to  observe  this  day,  and  with  gratitude  to 
praise  the  God  of  the  harvest.  It  also  becomes  us  to  give 
thanks  to-day,  that  we  are  at  peace  with  the  Indian  tribes 
within  our  borders. 

"The  poetesses  of  New  England  have  sung  our  praises. 
Authors  have  called  us  the  '  New-England  of  the  West,'  and 
her  inhabitants  Avould  love  to  see  us  adopt  their  social  and 
ecclesiastical  forms.  The  public  presses  of  the  middle  and 
southern  states  have  viewed  us  with  a  kindly  eye.  No 
scenes  like  those  enacted  at  Alton,  Nauvoo,  or  Vicksburg, 
have  been  perpetrated  here.  To  go  to  Texas  was  once  sy- 
nonymous with  fleeing  from  justice ;  on  the  contrary,  to  emi- 
grate to  Minnesota  implies  a  disposition  to  be  active,  intelli- 
gent, industrious,  and  virtuous,  and  there  has  never  been  any 
stigma  attached  to  the  act. 

"  Tliough  this  reputation  we  enjoy  is  to  a  great  degree  un- 
deserved, let  us  see  that  we  do  not  lose  it.  If  the  words  are 
true  — 

"  '  He  that  filches  from  me  my  good  name, 
Robs  me  of  that  which  not  enriches  him, 
And  makes  me  poor  indeed,' 

it  is  proper  for  Minnesota  to  frown  upon  all  who  by  their  con- 
duct disgust  strangers  and  residents.  They  are  her  robbers. 
They  impoverish  the  territory,  without  enriching  themselves. 

"  Finally,  we  should  give  thanks  to  God  for  our  fair  pros- 
pects. It  was  a  common  belief  of  the  early  explorers,  that 
one  of  the  great  thoroughfares  of  nations,  from   Europe  to 


,r"?!!£l3i»« 

11 1 

11' 

f 
1 

;| 

■  1 

ifi 

11- > 


r 


64 


MINNESOTA  AND  ITS    RESOURCES. 


China,  woiilil  pass  tlirongli  this  district  of  America.     Henne- 
pin, La  Sallo,  and  Carver,  were  confident  that  tliere  would  be 
a  sliort  route  to  the  Pacific  by  the  head  waters  of  the  Upper 
Mississippi.     The  latter  looked  forward  to  the  time  when  a 
communication  would  be  opened  between  New  York  and  the 
remotest  West.     View  the  map  of  the  United  States,  and  you 
will  readily  perceive  that  we  occupy  the  geographi^l  centre, 
and  that  St.  Paul  is  in  the  same  latitude  as  Oregon  city.     Is 
there  not  a  prospect  that  in  half  a  century,  the  Indian  lodges 
that  now  surround  us  will  be  far  removed  ;  that  the  shores  of 
Lake  Pepin  will  be  the  abode  of  many  a  maiden  as  constant  to 
her  first  love  as  Winona,  and  in  addition  strengthened  and 
ennobled  by  the  religion  of  Christ;  that  the  steam-engine, 
either  in  boat  or  car,  will  move  from  Montreal  to  the  rapids  of 
St.  Mary,  and  stop  at  the  roaring  waters  of  St.  Anthony ;  that 
a  populous  city  will  be  the  capital  of  a  state,  and  a  depot  liko 
Damascus,  or  Petra,  or  Babylon,  in  olden  time,  for  the  produc- 
tions of  the  south,  the  furs  of  the  north,  the  manufactures  of  the 
east,  and  the  gold,  or,  what  is  better,  the  golden  grains,  of  the 
west ;  that  the  gates  of  the  Rocky  mountains  will  be  thrown 
open,  and  the  locomotive  groaning  and  rumbling  from  Oregon 
city,  will  stop  here  with  its  heavy  train  of,  perhaps,  Asiatic 
produce,  on  its  way  to  Dubuque,  or  some  other  point ;  that  the 
mission  stations  of  Remnica  and  Lac  qui  Parle  will  be  sup- 
planted by  the  white  schoolhouse,  the  church-spire,  and  high- 
er seminary  of  learning !     Is  it  not  true,  even  now,  that 

"  'Behind  the  scared  squaw's  birch  canoe, 
The  steamer  smokes  and  raves, 
And  city  lots  are  staked  for  sale 
Above  old  Indian  graves.' 


Do  we  not 


hear  the  tread  of  pioneers 


Of  nations  yet  to  be; 
The  first  low  wash  of  waves  where  soon 
Shall  roll  a  human  sea? 

'"Each  rudo  and  jostling  fragment  soon 
Ave  plastic  yet  and  warm ; 
The  chaos  of  a  mighty  world 
Is  rounding  into  form. 


.'4 


I 


AGRIOULTUKAL  ADVANTAGES,   ETC.  t>6 

"'The  rndiments  of  empire  here 
Its  fitting  plnee  shall  find; 
The  raw  nmterinl  of  a  state  — 
Its  muscle  and  its  mind.' " 

For  the  benefit  of  the  farmers,  capitalists,  mechanics,  tourists, 
and  all  otliers  now  arriving,  I  give  such  facts,  practical  sug- 
gestions, and  sound  advice,  as  a  long  residence,  and  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  tlie  advantages  and  capacities  of  Minne- 
sota have  thrown  within  our  reach. 

Farmers  have  been  told  repeatedly  that  no  more  productive 
land  than  this  is  to  be  found,  and  also  of  the  amount  and  qual- 
ity  of  the  crops ;  the  immense  size  and  xapid  growth  of  all 
kinds  of  garden  vegetables ;  the  superiority  of  the  bottom 
lands  for  grazing  purposes;  and,  also,  that  no  business  can 
possibly  pay  better  for  the  amount  of  capital  invested,  than 
the  ebtablishment  of  at  least  a  hundred  dairies,  on  a  large 
scale,  the  manufacture  of  butter  and  cheese  for  exportation, 
and  the  raising  of  cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  poultry,  &c.,  for  home 
consumption. 

I  suppose  that  all  men  will  now  take  this  for  granted ;  it 
is  too  late  i.i  the  day  to  argue  the  question  with  anybody ; 
in  fact,  the  knowing  ones  are  already  rushing  in  upon  us  much 
faster  than  accommodations  can  be  found  for  them. 

I  will,  however,  not  get  into  any  glow  of  enthusiasm  about 
it,  nor  allow  my  personal  interests  or  predilections  in  favor  of 
any  one  portion  of  the  territory  over  all  others— the  Minne- 
sota river  country  for  instance  — the  usual  hobby  of  almost 
all  our  writers— to  influence  me  in  a  fair  and  impartial  review 
of  the  merits  of  the  whole  territory. 

I  say,  then,  that  all  the  land  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
which  is  at  all  adapted  to  farming  purposes  is  good,  and  that 
all  objections  as  to  the  soil  being  too  light  and  sandy,  are  not 
based  on  a  proper  knowledge  of  the  adaptation  of  soils  and 
climates  to  each  other.  The  heavy,  wet,  black  soils,  under- 
laid by  the  cold  clay-beds  of  Illinois  and  Iowa,  would  no  more 
suit  the  climate  of  Minnesota,  than  would  those  of  the  tropics 
suit  the  climate  of  the  froz  regions. 
The  summers  of  Minnesota  are  short,  and  require  a  warm 


I 


06 


1 


'Milii 


i  !!S 


MINNK8{)TA    AND    ITS    KKSOUKflCS. 


Z^a\  IT''"''  ^'""^^  '''''^'''  ^''''^^^  consequently  never 
fa         Add  to  tins  our  late  autun.nal  season,  .hich  lin^L  in  o 

lH3  lap  of  ^v.nter,  in  November,  the  absence  of  frosts  we^ks 
later  than  ,n  tbe  states  Just  south  of  us.  and  the  reLIi 2 
copu.us    hunder-showers,  .hich  occur  so  frequently  to  n     set 

nd  replenish  the  bounteous  earth,  all  ten^l  to  facilitate    l" 
guMvth  and  maturity  of  such  crops  as  must  be  seen  to  be  cred- 

Excluding  the  tamarac  swamps,  and  some  rather  rough  and 

e..st  ot  the  Mississippi,  and  on  its  head  watcrs-the  laud  is 
ns  good  as  any  farmer  need  desire,  and  will  produce  all  kinds 

t.    mei  to  exemse,  is  as  to  where  his  particular  location  shall 
be  made,  and  this  each  one  will  soon  determine  for  himself. 

wloror''-if;-  !V''f  '^'''  ''•^"'^  "^^^'^  Minnesota  ri^^er, 
whe  e  he  will  hnd  land,  wood,  and  water,  prairie,  and  timbe^ 
combined,  and  forming  as  rich  a  country  L  can  be  found  in 
tne  west.  Several  steamboats  are  now  running  from  St.  Paul 
to  the  settlements  on  the  Minnesota  river,  and  are  crowded 
every  trip  with  freight  and  passengers. 

v.^Z  ^'J':''  '']'?  ''^'^  Si«"^  ^«"ntry,  he  will  have  the  ad- 
va  tage  of  being  able  to  op.,  up  as  good  a  farm  as  on  the 
eastern  side,  and  m  not  being  required  to  pay  for  it  for  several 
jcais,  as  the  lands  are  not  surveyed,  and  will  not  be  for  some 
time  yet  Or  he  can  go  up  the  Mississippi  river,  and  locate  at 
any  point  between  St.  Anthony  and  Crow  Wing,  where  there 
IS  a  good  home  market,  for  all  that  he  can  raif;  at  his  own 

The  Chippewa  and  Winnebago  tribes  of  Indians,  and  Fort 
Jlipley  are  located  in  this  direction  ;  while  the  main  pine  re- 
gion  of  the  territory,  viz.,  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, Leaf,  and  Crow  lYing  rivers,  yet  remain  to  be  opened. 
1  arming  produce  will  find  a  quick  and  steady  market  in  years 
to  come  m  this  particular  section,  when  it  will  be  a  Irfect 
dr.g  from  over  abundance,  and  no  consumers  in  the  shape  of 
lumbermen  ana  manufacturing  operatives  in  other  quartei. 
.  want  every  farmer  to  locate  with  reference  to  the  future 


.UlRtCCI/rCKAI,   ADVANTAOKS,    ETC.  67 

wWn  farming,  not  .peculation,  will  lo  tho  b,„i„c88  of  el,o  tcr- 

Tl,o  «oil  of  tlicdelta,  between  Kt.  Paul,  Point  Donglns,  and 
Stillwater,  rcrt,#upo„  a  led  of  lin.estone,  is  well  adapt;.!  to 
the  growth  o  wHter  wheat,  and  will  aoon  fill  up  with  a  laLo 
farming  population.  ^  8« 

The  land  i8  finely  situated,  and,  from  its  contiguity  to  the 
above-named  point,,  and  the  easy  access  to  both  rfvers^affo  ds 
r:.^l  rrr  ""'  ™'""""  ">-"-•    t^oUage-Orove  PrS 

an Js!   a7''^  settlement  i,  within  a  few  miles  of  St.  Paul 
and  St  Anthony,  and  is  situated  amid  many  beautiful    ake„ 
wink  tlie  sod  is  good,  the  timber  plentiful.  L  I^ts  doTe' 

lake  Minnetonka,  which  is  situated  twelve  miles  west  of  St 
An  bony.  ,s  ,„  another  fine  farming  region,  and  many  imm  .' 
giants  have  located  there  •  also  flin  mncf  ^f  • 
tjon  from  Northampton.  Mat:<^!:e"  s'  tL'I'Z^^ZZ 
the  r.ver  farther  north,  and  near  Hastings  and  Bed  Winlt! 
the  south,  is  also  of  the  very  best  quality.  and-„ow7hat  we 
are  prepared  to  exhibit  Minnesota,  even^at  the  Worhl's  Fair 
IZr        ""  ""  "'""-""'  S'"""-  "  ^o™-''  l-e^t  to 

Before  you  choose,  then,  look  around  you.  and  visit  any  or 
all  of  these  places  immediately.  "  visit  any  or 

nation  t7;v^omealToK  T    '  '  T'  ''^'''''  ""''  »  '•^'<'™:- 

.,       -^  ^^  "*^^  ^^"  oe  given  m  advisino-  ti.^  jp,^: . 

3* 


58 


MINNKSOTA    AND    ITS    RESOUltOES. 


ii!     1 


I  i 


5:9 


tions  for  yoniif^  Inisincss  men,  that  I  may  be  aware  of,  will  be 
choorfnlJy  aflordcd  by  myself. 

Pusb  ahead,  then,  1  say,  witli  a  bopcful  beart,  and  remem- 
ber that  it  takes  energy,  invincible  determiri^fcion,  and  a  large 
expenditure  of  toil,  and  sweat,  and  muscle,  with  a  rigid  econ- 
omy, to  acbieve  success,  even  in  Minnesota. 

Capitalists  will  here  find  a  wider  field  for  tbe  profitable  in- 
vestment of  tbeir  funds  tban  can  possibly  be  found  elsewhere. 
If  they  will  speculate  in  lands,  we  have  a  hundred  town-sites 
at  a  hundred  available  points,  where  lots  can  be  bought  cheap, 
with  a  prospect  of  a  rapid  advance,  if  a  liberal  policy  be  pur- 
sued ;  if  not,  ninety  of  them  will  always  remain  in  embryo,  and 
exist  as  at  present  upon  a  sheet  of  rolled-up  paper.  I  would 
advise  town  proprietors  to  offer  very  liberal  inducements,  and 
to  give  at  least  every  alternate  lot  to  any  man  who  will  im- 
prove by  building  and  making  it  his  permanent  residence. 
They  will  find  their  advantage  in  the  rapid  augmentation  in 
value  of  the  re-maiiiing  portions.  But  we  want  men  to  come 
here  with  money  to  invest  in  producing  something,  in  steam 
and  water,  saw  and  grist  mills,  which  are  now  much  wanted 
in  all  directions.  A  hundred  mills  would  pay  well  now,  if 
they  could  be  at  or;:3  located  at  St.  Paul,  St.  Anthony,  and 
the  Sauk  rapids,  the  St.  Croix,  Lake  Pepin,  Lake  Minnetonka, 
and  more  especially  on  the  Minnesota  river,  as  there  is  but 
one  now  there. 

We  also  want  a  mai:ufactory  of  wooden  ware,  some  tanner- 
ies, glass-works  (gas  also  in  a  year  or  two),  foundries,  furnaces, 
boatyards,  &c.,  &c. ;  everything,  in  short,  from  a  steamboat 
to  a  jackplane,  from  a  ploughshare  to  a  locomotive-engine  to 
run  on  the  St.  Anthony  aud  St.  Paul  railroad,  which  is  to  he 
surveyed  this  summer  and  huilt  the  next.  Mark  that,  stranger, 
as  ycu  go  along,  for  it  will  be  done  ! 

Mtchanics  and  laborers  will  find  work  everywhere,  in  town 
and  country.  There  is  a  demand  for  both,  and  high  wages 
ready.  Mechanics  get  all  kinds  of  prices,  according  to  the 
trade  and  skill  of  the  man.     Two  dollars  per  day  is  the  me- 

ninrn  Tiripo        nmnrnrvn  lnV»nrora    rrpf  froP^   nno  rlnllnv  fn  rv-no  rinl. 

lar  apd  a  quarter  per  day. 


i 


e  of,  will  be 

and  remem- 
and  a  largo 
I  rigid  econ- 

rofitable  in- 
.  elsewhere, 
d  town-sites 
light  cheap, 
licy  be  pur- 
3mbryo,  and 
r.  I  would 
emeuts,  and 
ho  will  im- 
b  residence, 
lentation  in 
len  to  come 
g,  in  steam 
ich  wanted 
rell  now,  if 
ithony,  and 
linnetonka, 
here  is  but 

>me  tanner- 
js,  furnaces, 
steamboat 
e-engine  to 
ich  is  to  he 
X,  stranger, 

ire,  in  town 
high  wages 
ling  to  the 
T  is  the  me- 
to  one  dol- 


ls: 

I 


I 


AaiUCULTURAF,  ADVANTAOKS,   KTO.  59 

Tho.0  wl,o  3«„  not  (l„d  work  in  the  towns,  will  be  8«re  to 
do  so  on  the  firms,  or  on  the  government  ron,l»  now  in  process 
of  eon«,r„ct,on.     There  are  twenty  miles  of  road  to  build  at 
the  fallH  of  the  St.  Croix,  whieh  will  oce.my  all  this  season 
seventeen  miies  at  Sauk  rapids,  ten  at  bZ  river  Ind  a'T.' 
Itele  1  rame,  and  ten  miles  on  the  Long  Prairie  road.     These 
ast-named  pomts  are  from  sevcnty-five  to  one  hundred  miles  up 
the  M,»s,ss,pp,  above  St.  Paul.    A  portion  of  the  Mendota  and 
Wabashaw  road  and  bridges  is  also  under  eon.raet  at  the  foot 
of  Lake  Pep.n.    A  United  States  military  road  is  to  be  sur- 
veyed  tins  summer  from  Mendota  to  the  Missouri  river.     Tea 
«.oj,sand  do  lars  have  been  appropriated,  and  a  large  party 
kcidXr     '         ""' ''"""'  -'•■Fovisions,  wifl  be  cot 

If  you  should  not  find  work  immediately,  make  a  good  claim 
at  onee,  stnke  out  for  yourself  a  while,  put  up  yof  r  shanT 

m  tl  e  spnng,  d.g  up  an  acre,  and  plant  potatoes,  com,  and 
vegetables,  enough  to  last  you  through  the  next  winter.    Work 
afterward  at  anything  you  may  find  for  your  hand  to  do  a.  d 
pay  for  tl>e  breaking  up  next  fall  (if  you  can  not  do  it  your 
«elf)  of  at  least  tea  acres,  fence  it,  and  as  much  more  as  yon 

stead  of  your  own-a  good  crop  of  oats,  corn,  and  potatoes  in 
the  ^round-and.  if  you  are  a  lucky  fellow,  a  wife  and  cL  I 
drea  m    he  shanty,  yourself  as  iadependent  as  a  lord  a^d  a 
thc-sand  times  more  Iiappy.  '  ^^  * 

if  you  are  a  bachelor,  get  married  na  coon  ..  i 

enough  ia  the  house  for  two  to^t     The  t    -f  '"'"  ^*™ 

ryorias  ±air,  to  be  held  in  1856,  will    ■ 


60 


MINMCSOTA    ANT)    ITS    RKSOCUCKS. 


III 


I    "i 


tnko  tlio  highest  premium  theio  ns  perfe^it  specimens  of  hu- 
manity. 

'i'he  tourist  in  search  of  pleasure,  exciting  scenes,  good  health, 
or  information  of  this  region,  and  the  gentleman  of  elegant  ease 
and  leisure,  will  now  find  ample  accommodations  of  the  very 
bcHt  character,  go  where  he  may.  For  beauty  and  sublimity 
of  scenery,  fine  climate,  bracing  and  invigorating,  good  water 
(and  liquors,  too,  if  wanted),  fine  fishing  and  hunting,  from  a 
prairie-hen  to  a  buffalo  bull,  wo  just  set  up  Minnesota  against 
the  rest  of  the  world  a?i(l  all  the  other  planets,  and  coolly  offer 
to  back  her  with  any  odds  you  may  choose  to  offer.  To  the 
tourist  who  desires  to  see  the  territory,  and  who  is  not  willing 
to  sit  down  here  and  think  St.  Paul  is  the  whole  of  it,  as  many 
do,  we  will  point  out  the  route  of  an  excursion  which  can  not 
fail  to  please,  and  add  vastly  to  his  stock  of  knowledge,  and 
which  no  one — having  the  time  and  means  —  should  fail  to 
take. 

Arriving  here  by  steamboat,  take  the  stage  for  St.  Anthony, 
and  then  the  steamboat  for  Sauk  rapids.  Along  the  river  for 
one  hundred  miles  is  to  bo  found  the  most  enchanting  scenery 
that  you  have  ever  seen,  and  at  Sauk  rapids  is  the  finest  wa- 
ter-power in  the  territory,  excepting  at  St.  Anthony.  By 
stage  you  can  then  gc  north  to  Crow  Wing,  Fort  Ripley,  and 
the  Chippewa  and  Fort  Ripley  Indian  agencies,  at  Gull  lake, 
and  on  Long-Prairie  river.  Returning  to  St.  Anthony,  strike 
west  to  Lake  Minnetonka,  where  you  will  find  the  prettiest 
country  lying  wild  that  the  world  can  boast  of— got  up  with 
the  greatest  care  and  effort  by  old  Dame  Nature,  ten  thousand 
years  or  more  ago,  and  which  she  has  been  improving  ever 
since.  Go  there,  stranger,  but  don't  go  into  ecstasies  nor  "  go 
off"  until  you  can  make  your  mark.  Select  the  very  best 
claim  you  can  find,  and  settle  down  ;  for  be  assured  that  this 
luxurious  spot  promises  untold  wealth  to  you  in  future. 

Now  drive  to  Fort  Snelling,  and  return  to  St.  Paul.  Look 
at  all  this  country,  at  the  claims,  the  houses,  farms,  &c.,  of  the 
pioneers  located  there ;  at  the  Little  falls  or  Minne-ha-ha,  the 
fort,  and  take  a  peep  from  the  summit  of  Pilot  Knob,  above 
Mendota,  and  if  you  do  not  return  enthusiastic  in  your  praise, 


ncns  of  liu- 

^noi\  health, 

jlcgant  ease 

of  the  very 

(1  sublimity 

good  water 

ting,  from  a 

3ota  against 

coolly  offer 

er.     To  the 

not  willing 

it,  as  Hiuny 

lich  can  not 

vledge,  and 

ould  fail  to 

t.  Anthony, 
he  river  ibr 
ing  scenery 
e  finest  wa- 
liony.  By 
iipley,  and 
i  Gull  lake, 
lony,  strike 
le  prettiest 
^ot  up  with 
n  thousand 
oving  ever 
ies  nor  '•  go 
I  very  best 
d  that  this 
Lire. 

aul.  Look 
&c.,  of  the 
-ha-ha,  the 
nob:  above 
'■our  praise, 


AORinur/ruRAr.  advantaofs,  mc  ^i 

"vera,  ira.,,,,,  ^^  and  s';!;^'  '^''™"''""'  """  «'""""' 

up  r^M- ,tr  x::r:;:j""r:nrrr  --^  "■-''"^ 

tow.-.,-,!  ,hc  Jli.,„„fi  ,Z",  '  "  *"'"'  "  •'"ff''l»-l"'nt  away  „„t 

river,  ,.,>,s,rt!L?  /",""'  "?'""^'  "'"'^«  Re<l-Wo„d 
enibrjotic  JliuiK-sota  "     Of  .T        I     ,         "  """  P"'"""  "f 

";"r5.:::S  ;rr"-"'  »*  --• «-"  -" 

and  on  a  line  west  from  the  foot  of  Lake  Pepin     AtTv'>.     i 

^vatci-  on  b,.th  sLonlders.     Some  of  tl.is  stamp  amonf  us  .Zw 
go  np  above  BIno-Eartb,  and  see  their  past  and  p  elent  or 
on,  course  n.apped  ont.     It  is  hero  that  ?he  vaUrofd  i^^^m  I  wT 
olIown,g  „p  t„e  Dos  Moines,  and  thence  down  tL  va"  evof 
the  Blue-Earth,  will  eventually  cross  the  Minnesota  tL 
nee   ,„  the  valley  of  the  Ked  riL  of  the  North  :ri,ll":  . 

r«;;;:a^l^r^a;f  ;:^~  -  ^''^^  '^  -- ^-^ 


■""fffTr" 


62 


MINNESOTA.   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


Return  now  to  St.  Paul,  and  you  can  justly  claim  to  have 
seen  a  little  of  Minnesota,  and  to  have  been  all  along  the  civ- 
ilized lines  of  travel  and  settlement,  which,  like  the  spokes  of 
a  wheel,  diverge  from  the  central  point,  and  shed  as  so  many 
sunbeams,  rays  of  light,  and  thought,  and  intelligence,  through- 
out the  pagan  land  of  yesterday.  You  wilh  have  seen  the 
spot  where,  ere  long,  the  combined  forces  of  energy,  enterprise, 
and  wealth,  will  have  erected  one  of  the  noblest  fabrics  yet 
reared  by  the  hard-toiling,  strong-fisted,  and  sinewy  sons  of 
this  republic. 


WEATHER,    SOIL,    AND   CLIMATE. 


Im  to  have 
ng  the  civ- 
3  spokes  of 
IS  so  many 
!e,  tlirough- 
3  seen  the 
enterprise, 
fabrics  yet 
vy  sons  of 


«3 


CHAPTER  IV. 

REVIEW    OP     THE     WEATHER    OP      MINNESOTA- ADAPTATION     OP 

THE    SOIL    AND    CLIMATE. 

I  REGRET  that  my  observations  have  not  extended  regularly 
through  a  space  of  time  which  would  enable  me  to  give  full 
and  reliable  results  of  the  climatic  changes  of  this  latitude. 
Owing  to  fi^quent  changes  of  residence,  and  the  demands  of 
business  I  have  not  as  yet  been  able  to  give  that  strict  atten- 
tion  to  the  meteorology  of  our  territory  wnich  is  due  to  a  sub- 
jec   so  replete  with  interest  and  importance;  and  I  now  pre- 
sent this  imperfect  sketch  in  the  hope  that  some  one  having 
the  inclination  for  the  pursuit,  and  at  the  same  time  a  more 
elegant  leisure  than  I  have  had,  will  yet  do  what  I  have  but 
partially  done —or  rather  failed  to  do. 

For  the  time  that  my  observations  were  carried  on,  viz , 
from  December,  1850,  until  July,  1851,  inclusive,  I  have  an 
accurately  kept  register,  together  with  a  series  of  monthly 
tables,  in  ^yhlch  all  the  details  of  the  weather  for  that  period 
are  minutely  given.     For  the  remainder  of  the  year  1851,  the 
monthly  tab  es  intended  to  accompany  this  review  were  kept 
at  Fort  Sue  ling;  and  although  not  so  M  in  detail,  are  yet 
quite  valuable  *     The  mean  temperatures  of  the  months  of  Au- 
gust, September,  October,  November,  and  December,  1851 
as  given  ill  the  Meteorological  Register  for  that  year,  I  ob' 
ained  of  Dr  J.  Frazier  Head,  of  Fort  Ripley,  in  latitude  46° 

,  ,  I     t!  ^  ^^"""^^  ""^^^  ''  "'"^^^^  "P  ''^^  observations 

taken  at  St.  Paul,  during  the  months  of  January,  Febraary, 
March,  and  April ;  at  Sauk  rapids,  during  May,  June,  and 
July;  and  at  Fort  Ripley,  during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

over  lo  north        ''^^''  ^'""'^  ^''"""'^  ^"^  ^°'^  ^'^^^^  ''  ^  ^^^^^ 
These  results  show  a  uniformity  in  the  weather  of  Minne- 
*  See  Annals  of  the  Minnesota  Historical  Society,  for  1854. 


{( 

r^ 

liwrr  - 


64 


MINNESOTA  AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


sot.a   tlint    is    seldom    met   with    ei.ewhcvc.     When    sudden 
changes  do  occur,  it  is  to  be  remarked  tliat  tliey  arc  always 
low  extremes  —  that  is  from  helow  the  freezing  point  to  far 
below   zero,  and   consequently  do  not  injuriously  affect   the 
system  as  in  those  latitudes  where  a  continual  elemental  war 
is  consta)itly  kept  up,  and  the  alternate  rising  and  falling  of 
the   barometer  and  thermometer  are  as  sudden  and  irregular 
as  tlie  turnings  of  a  weathercock  amidst  a  tempest.    From  a  resi- 
dence of  over  two  years  in  Minnesota,  I  can  safely  say  that 
the  atmosphere  is  more  pure,  pleasant,  and  healthful,  than  that 
of  any  other  I  have  ever  breathed  on  the  continent  of  North 
or  South  America.     This  is  particularly  the  case  in  winter, 
the  most  buoyant,  elastic,  and  vigorous  portion  of  the  year. 
As  regards  the  healthfulness  of  this  region  at  all  times,  and 
more  especially  in  winter,  I  would  add,  in  the  language  of  a 
former  report  upon  the  weather,  that  "  with  proper  care  and  no 
unnecessary  exposure,  it  may  be  safely  said  that  coughs,  colds, 
and  that  scourge  of  the  Eastern  states,  consumption,  would  be 
almost  entirely  unknown.     When  either  is  unfortunately  con- 
tracted, no  climate  is  better  adapted  for  its  speedy  eradica- 
tion.    It  is  all  a  mistake  to  send  a  consumptive  patient  to  the 
south  —  a   mistake  just   becoming   apparent   to    the   faculty. 
Those  whose  lungs  are  diseased  and  weak,  should  come  to  the 
north,     I  have  tried  both  extremes,  and  can  speak  feelingly^ 
the  best  of  all  evidences,  and  I  confidently  assert  that  they 
will  stand  far  more  chances  of  recovery  in  this  particular  lati- 
tude than  anywhere  in  the  enervating  south,  even  if  it  be  the 
most  salubrious  of  the  West  Indies." 

It  is  true  that  a  fever,  which  in  some  instances  has  proved 
fatal  in  its  effects,  has  raged  within  our  midst  during  the  past 
fall  and  winter ;  but  it  has,  I  believe,  been  altogether  local, 
or  peculiar  to  St.  Anthony  and  St.  Paul,  and  is  owing  to 
causes  which  it  is  not  probable  Avill  soon  occur  again.  The 
principal  of  these  is  believed  to  have  been  the  unprecedented 
drought  of  the  preceding  summer,  by  which  the  river  bottoms, 
the  ponds,  and  the  marshes,  became  exposed,  and  threw  into 

our  usually  pure  air  a  poisonous  malaria. 

T'l^^   J..^.,™i,f  ^e  iQi^o  —.„„   „   „f„:i.: — r^-x ;„   a1-_ x 


ifiuiuor- 


"■EATHF.R,    SOIL,    AKn   CAMATE.  68 

ology  Of  tl™  territory.     TI,e  summers  „re  «s,mlly  very  moU, 
large  ,,u„„.,t,es  of  rain   tall,  „,„1  l.eavy  tl,„, .  er-  tjmr    ™ 

of  moisture  falls  in  every  dimate    n  .  "^"''^  ^"^'""* 

"mke  amends  for  tl.      .^     ^         '    """^  *^'^  P^«*  ^"^t^r,  to 

covers  tl,eeartl,  L,„  1,^.     T.ef^nr" ''"''7 '''""''  """ 
tli  .  country  to  the  Zh       1  I  °^  """'"  throughout  all 

I-as  beeu  ft  le    "five  tt      TlTe  '  "1  '"""''  ^^''<'  ^^P"^'-' 
tl.o  ti„,c  .luriug  the  earlv  ,•.»/„'?,  ''"'"'  '^^"'  '^  P"''''""  «'" 

«n,I  eveu  renL  wl  ,         ,  "  '"""=■•• ''''"™'  ™passaMe, 

■.,„om,t  IV  .        ?,     «™^«""'g  upon  snowshoes  difficult.     The 

fa..»  i!,'mauy  pre>f;;r:h!:::?;. ''^^  ^.^f^  '-  '- 

t.ty,  and  more  than  the  average  there  1  ,       ^^  ''"^"' 

or  two  of  late  ve.,-.      1      "'"««.  there  having  been  a  winter 

sIcdclL.  purnosCl  "  ""/  """'^''  ''•''=  '""-  '•»■•  -»™on 
ti.e.se  a,-;  ^:S  h  ^Ci^r^"?'"  ^-".covered,  though 
rcnaius  till  spvinsr  amUhe  1  ;^.  P™'"""'  ''owever,  always 
N.;veu,ber  tilE'eh!  ^        ''  '"  ^^'^^''^''^  ^"^"'•^'^  f'"™ 

This  is  e.xtremely  favorable  to  the  nreservfltinw  .f     ••  . 
wheat,  which  li'ia  .„.»  i,„.     »  •   n  P'eseivation  of  wniter 

...- » .i«':r:r;;;tr.,r  ::r:;.:'L',:,: 

*  The  amount  of  snow  in  the  winter  of  1849  '4q 
that  of  the  pnsf,  spn^on       A  Ur-  -  .1S42-43,  was  nlmost  eqnal  to 

^'otc  by  an  Old  Seia^  '"  '^"""'"^  '^'^'^  ^^"  ^^  t''«  «Pn"g  of  1*84JJ.- 


•,,SiijgiuatsiBtmuiatgi.msm^iim 


W 


I  W'i 


66 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


one  than  in  the  states,  from  the  fact  that  the  snow  will  prevent 
its  freezing  out,  and  that  it  will  also  be  less  subject  to  attacks 
of  rust,  the  fly,  and  all  the  diseases  incidental  to  it  elsewhere. 
I  am  very  certain  that  Minnesota  will  in  time  become  one  of 
the  very  best  wheat-growing  states  in  the  whole  Union,  and 
that  she  will  take  the  place  of  Illinois  and  other  states  where 
it  can  no  longer  be  depended  upon  with  any  certainty.  When 
sown  at  an  early  period,  say  September,  it  has  already  suc- 
ceeded well,  as  far  north  as  La  Belle  Prairie,  in  latitude  forty- 
6ix  degrees.  Those  who  are  in  doubt  on  the  subject,  can  read 
Mr.  Philander  Prescott's  letter  on  the  agricultural  resources  of 
Minnesota,  published  in  the  Patent  Office  Reports  for  1849-'50. 
Spring  wheat  also  produces  well,  even  at  Red  Lake  and  Sel- 
kirk settlement,  in  latitude  forty-eight  and  fifty  degrees,  as 
bountifully  as  in  other  places  farther  south. 

The  most  remarkable  characteristic  of  the  winter  of  Minne- 
sota, is  its  great  dryness— there  being  an  almost  total  absence 
of  rain  or  moisture.     Not  more  than  one  heavy  rain-storm  has 
occurred  within  its  limits  during  the  last  ten  years.     A  slight 
sprinkling  of  rain,  however,  does  sometimes  happen.     A  heavy 
thaw  also  takes  place  in  January,  and  sometimes  lasts  a  week 
or  two,  accompanied  by  mild  southerly  winds.     Such  a  thaw 
occurred  in  February,  1853.     The  weather  is  generally  very 
clear  and  bracing,  mostly  calm,  though  uproarious  winds  oc- 
cur occasionally.     The  prevailing  winds  are  from  the  west- 
northwest  and  north,  and  always  bring  clear  weather ;  they 
prevail  about  two   thirds  of  the  winter.     East,   north,   and 
southeast  Avinds  from  the  great  lakes  bring  snow-storms,  and 
are  always  damp,  chilling,  and  unpleasant.     The  mercury, 
though  almost  always  below  the  freezing  point,  is  seldom  far 
below  zero  ;  on  three  or  four  occasions  it  sinks  to  from  twenty 
to  thirty-five  degrees  below,  though  this  weather  never  contin- 
ues more  than  three  or  four  days.     The  coldest  day  of  the  past 
winter  was  February  8,  when  the  mercury  fell  to  twenty-five 
degrees  below  zero.     At  these  periods  there  is  but  little  wind, 
and  the  cold  is  felt  much  less  than  any  one  not  accustomed  to 
the  climate  would  imagine.   Very  heavy  hoarfrosts  frequently 
occur,  when  the  whole  air  seems  filled  with  little  icy  crystals, 


i 


WEATHER,   SOIL,    AND   CLIMATE. 


67 


for  1849-'50. 


wli.cli  sparkle  in  the  morning  snnll-ht  like  millions  of  precious 
^oms.  The  surrounding  forests  being  encased  in  glittering 
frost  and  ice,  present  a  most  magnificent  appearance. 

The  ]\[ississippi  generally  closes  early  in  December,  and 
opens  the  latter  part  of  March.  The  winter  continues  for 
about  four  months  j  though  we  often  have  cold,  rough  weather 
for  an  additional  month  or  two.  In  summing  up  its  merits,  I 
would  add  that,  owing  to  its  even  temperature,  and  hence  al- 
lowing out  of  door  exercises  and  employments  for  a  greater 
number  of  days  than  that  of  most  other  countries,  it  is  highly 
conducive  to  health,  longevity,  and  social  intercourse  and  ad- 
vancement. 

The  spring  is  usually  boisterous  and  cold.  There  is  tl*en 
more  wind  and  dampness  than  in  the  winter.  That  there  are 
exceptions  to  this  however,  the  spring  of  last  year,  and  the 
month  of  March,  1651,  may  be  evidenced.  The  prevailing 
winds  are  similar  to  those  of  winter,  viz.,  froln  west-north- 
west to  north.  The  season  continues  cold  and  backward  un- 
til early  in  May,  when  a  sudden  change  takes  place,  and  all 
nature  is  soon  robed  in  the  cheerful  liveries  of  this  gay  por- 
tion of  the  year.  The  frost  usually  leaves  the  ground  in  April. 
1  he  latter  part  of  May  and  early  in  June  is  the  usual  seed- 
ing-iime. 

The  summer  is  very  cool  and  pleasant,  with  a  fine  breeze  at 
al   times,  blowing  mostly  from  the  west,  southwest,  and  south. 
Ihis  mitigates  and  makes  endurable  the  extreme  heat  of  the 
sun,  which,  beaming  through  the  clear  and   brilliant  atmo- 
sphere,  rivals  that  of  the  tropics  in  intensity.     This  great 
heat  is  of  but  short  duration,  rarely  continuing  longer  than  a 
week  at  most,     llie  nights  are  always  cool  and  bracing,  and 
the  sleep  obtained  is  sound,  refreshing,  and  sweet.     Thunder- 
storms are  very  frequent,  usually  occurring  in  the  afternoon 
and  evening,  and  sometimes  continuing  all  the  night.     Those 
at  night  are  always  much  the  heaviest,  and  of  the  longest  du- 
ration.    A  remarkable  thunder-storm  occurred  at  Sauk  rapids 
on  the  12th  and  13th  of  July,  1851,  which  continued  uninter- 
ruptedly for  some  thirty  hours;  the  rain  falling  at  intervals 
111  torrents.     It  was  accompanied  by  a  hurricane  of  wind  from 


^ 


f"^'*^  ■■**-"  ^JWil'ti 


68 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    RESOURCES. 


i-i^ 


the  southeast,  ^vhicli  piostratetl  forest-trees,  tearing  them  np  by 
tlie  roots  like  twigs,  and  snapping  others  off  like  pipe-stems. 
It  created  considerable  havoc  along  the  western  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  above  Crow  river,  and  extended  some  distance  in 
a  northwest  direction.  Its  breadth  I  never  ascertained. 
Heavy  hailstorms  sometimes  occur.  The  most  remarkable 
one  which  I  have  noticed  is  thus  described  in  a  letter  to 
the  Minnesota  Pioneer,  dated  Benton  city  (Sauk  rapids*), 
June  1%  1851  :— 

"  The  most  terrific  rain  and  hail  storm  that  I  ever  remember, 
occurred  here  last  night,  from  ten  P.  M.,  until  after  midnight. 
It  came  up  suddenly  from  the  Avest,  and  for  several  hours  the 
heavens  were  a  perfect  glare  of  light,  most  painful  to  the  eye 
to  witness ;  while  the  thunder  was  truly  deafening  at  first,  and 
most  terrific.     The  rain  fell  in  perfect  sheets  of  water,  and  the 
hail  descended  like  tt  shower  of  bullets,  crushing  through  the 
windows  and  flying  across  the  room  with  violence ;  while  the 
house  creaked  and  shook  and  rocked  like  a  ship  at  sea,  and  I 
verily  expected  it  to  come  tumbling  about  my  ears  each  mo- 
ment.    The  hailstones,  unlike  ordinary  ones,  were  rough  and 
jagged,  as  though  a  storm  of  the  splinters  and  shivers  of  an 
iceberg  had  been  hurled  over  this  embryo  city ;  which,  owing 
to  the  meager  number  of  houses,  suffered  but  little.     Ere  long 
the  rattle  and  clatter  of  their  falling,  drowned  the  thunder 
completely.     By  the  glare  of  the  lightning,  I  could  see  the 
rain-drops  and  hailstones  driven  by  the  gale,  skim  along  the 
ground,  and  striking,  bound  several  feet  into  the  air,  in  a  dense 
sheet  of  mingled  ice  and  water,  like  waves  of  hail  rising  and 
rolling  on  before  the  storm.     I  could  hear  the  clash  and  roar  of 
the  successive  waves  as  they  struck  the  house  or  a  fence  in 
their  course,  like  regular  discharges  of  firearms.     The  largest 
stones  were  about  one  inch  in  diameter,  and  fell  upon  the  roof 
like  grape-shot.     The  surrounding  trees  are  well  stripped  of 
limbs   and  leaves,  which  -were  cut  and  split  in  slsrods,  and 
dashed   off   in    large  quantities.     Altogether,  it  was  a  well- 
grown  hail-storm  for  a  new  country,  and  as  a  meteorological 

*  Sauk  rapids  ie  situated  on  the  Mississippi,  geYCiity=sis  -oi)-??  northwest 
of  St.  Paul. 


WBATIIieB,  sou.,  AND  CLIMATE.  69 

I,l,eno^3no„,  I  l,„vo  ,ho„g,,t  a  U.ty  description  worthy  of 

TI,e  summer  season  is  sl.ort-warm  weather  seldom  sets  in 
be  ore  July,  although  there  are  at  times  exception"  Ve  v 
hot  weather  occurred  last  year  in  May.  What  L  W  J^^ 
respect  is  more  than  fully  made  up  irantln  I  df  ifh  re' 

tore  October,  win  e  a  lio'mfi'fnl  t».,t  ,       ^'^i-ur  oe- 

»  -m      i-xT  ,  "c.uititiu  Indian  summer  lasts  till  tlm 

A    a  gene.ai  t  „„g  there  are  no  gentle  gradations  of  heat  and 

to  i : :"t !: "'"""' '""^t'"' *" ™»">-' »^ f"- ^ 

toMiiitei.  -IJiat  season  nsnal  y  linjrers  in  tliPlnr^^f 
.".tilbocan  no  longer  h„U,  ..is'swaHben  'XS 
In  long  supremacy,  and  retreats  to  northern  clime  wth„ 
cyn,c„,g  any  d  sposition  to  protract  his  st.ay.  Nre'rop  " .' 
mpped,  nor  buds  or  blossoms  perish  from  a  renewal  o  Ts  ,cy 
b.enth  ,u  the  shape  of  chilling,  killing  frosts.  He  me  t  IwZ 
before  the  soft  murmmings  of  the  southern  £ta^  .Tl^ 
no  tiflpp  ]w.lii'../i      XT      -11  ''"uiueiii  gaies,  and  leaves 

docs  e  edit  to  the       ,'"      '  f  ""'='''  ""''  ^"''  *  S^««  -'^h 
docs  cied.t  to  the  rude,  rough,  storm-king_and  immediatelv 

a  marked  change  takes  place.    No  "  elemfntal  war"  from  1  S 
to  cold,  from  wet  to  dry- each  striving  for  the  m-,ste-vH 
an  mtervening  month  or  two,  as  in  th!  states,  occ  r  "^On    ,! 
outrary,  the  soft  breath  of  early  summer    one    brea  .W 
along  the  southern  vales,  like  the  wellings  up  from  a  foil"! 
gush„,g  heart-throbbing  forth  its  wa™  pulsftions  and  g  vi  g 
hfeandv,gor  to  every  living  thing  beneath  its  touch.^  T  f 
unclouded  sun  pours  forth  his  genial  beams,  revivify  u/t! 
face  of  nature,  and  causing  it  to  bloom  and  bkl  om      B^t 
a  on  each  day  almost,  a  change  comes  over  the  sl^of  U 
d    am,  and  the  storm-clouds  gather  in  the  western  Lytl 
.  a  en  .  art,  lory  is  heard  pealing  forth  its  echoes  fron"^;,^  t 
ca.  h,  from  plan,  ,„  pki„,  and  the  refreshing  rain  descends  in 
opions,  grateful  showers.  ^  descends  in 

The  bountiful  earth,  thus  nourished  and  replenished   nro 

the  In eeze,  the  golden  corn  is  glistening  i„  the  morning  L 
•l^e  r,pe  and  luscious  melons  dot  the  rich,  smooth  soil^  Tis 


M^-mii^^^^ 


70 


MINNESOTA   AND  ITS   RESOURCES. 


isi-"in 


true  there  are  no  fruit-trees  bending  beneath  the  rosy  peach, 
the  pear,  the  phim,  the  clierry,  and  the  apple,  to  gladden  the 
eyes  of  tlio  pomologist  and  cauise  the  mouth  to  water  in  anti- 
cipation of  the  luxurious  feast.  Yet  this  is  altogether  owing 
to  the  newness  of  the  country,  and  the  want  of  time,  as  yet, 
to  plant  and  produce  those  fruits ;  not,  forsooth,  that  we  ai'S 
too  far  north,  or  that  it  is  too  cold  to  ripen  them  in  perfection ; 
nor  that  the  inclemency  of  our  winters,  will  destroy  them  by 
freezing.  There  can  be  no  more  certain  criterion  of  the  cli- 
mate of  any  country  than  its  vegetable  production,  and  it  may 
be  stated  here  generally,  that  while  all  the  grains  an  1  vege- 
table productions  of  the  Middle  and  Western  States,  have  been 
produced  within  the  bounds  of  Minnesota,  with  almost  every 
variety  of  wild  tree,  shrub,  flower,  and  herb  —  and  while  all  the 
tame  grasses  and  most  of  the  fruits  can  be  produced  within  her 
limits,  with  the  exception  of  the  peach  (which  has  failed  at 
Galena  and  Dubuque),  every  objection  to  its  being  too  far 
north  is  futile  and  ridiculous.  Mr.  Oakes,  the  father  of  C.  H. 
Oakes,  Esq.,  of  St.  Paul,  has  raised,  successfully,  all  the  above 
fruits,  and  others  (except  the  peach),  at  Lapointe,  on  Lake 
Superior,  in  latitude  a  little  south  of  forty-seven  degrees ;  which 
is  nearly  two  degrees  northward  of  St.  Paul.  They  can  also  be 
cultivated  here  ;  the  soil  being  adapted  to  their  culture,  as  also 
to  that  of  melons,  of  corn,  and  sweet  potatoes.  All  men  should 
understand  at  this  late  day,  that  soils  and  climate  are  adapted 
to  each  other ;  and  that  parallels  of  latitude  are  a  very  unsafe 
rule  to  go  by  in  judging  altogether  of  the  climate  of  a  country ; 
as  it  is  always  greatly  modified  by  local  causes.  The  geogra- 
phy of  a  country  has  much  to  do  witii  its  climate ;  its  topog- 
raphy, its  elevation,  its  lakes,  its  rivers,  hills,  and  valleys,  its 
soil,  forests,  prevailing  winds,  moisture  and  dryness,  more  or 
less  affect  its  temperature. 

The  warm,  loose,  sandy  soil  of  Minnesota,  with  the  long, 
late  autumnal  season,  will  mature  the  cereal  grains  and  fruits, 
almost  as  perfectly  as  that  of  far  more  southern  climates.  But 
"  the  world  is  indeed  a  slow  coach  after  all,"  and  progresses 
in  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  at  a  snail's  pate,  at  best. 
Truth  is  always  outstripped  by  error,  and  falsehood  spreads 


■oay  peach, 
add en  the 
ter  in  anti- 
ther  owing 
tie,  as  yet, 
lat  we  are 
perfection ; 
y  them  by 
of  the  cli- 
md  it  may 
an  ,  vege- 
have  been 
nost  every 
hile  all  the 
within  her 
3  failed  at 
ig  too  far 
5r  of  C.  H. 
the  above 
,  on  Lake 
;es;  which 
2an  also  be 
ire,  as  also 
len  should 
re  adapted 
ery  unsafe 
a  country ; 
he  geogra- 
its  topog- 
^alleys,  its 
s,  more  or 

the  long, 
and  fruits, 
ates.  But 
progresses 
3,  at  best. 
)d  spreads 


WEAXIIER,   BOIL,   AND  CLIMATE.  7X 

itself  With  the  flcetness  of  the  wind.     The  world  delights  to 
be  humbugged,  and  all  seem  to  act  upon  the  principle  that 
they  must  either  humbug  somebody,  or  be  humbugged  them- 
selves.     Men  dehght   in  being  deceived;    nay,  in 'deceiv  ng 
themselves  agamst  the  dictates  of  reason,  facts,  and  common 
sense     Hence  we  may  still  expect  to  hear  the  oft-repeated 
cry  of '«  You  can't  mu^^cawncrap  in  Minnesota -you  can't 
hve  away  up  chere,"  &c.,  &c.    We  expect  to  find'^men  fl 
twenty  years  to  come,  who  will  persist  in  believing  that  the 
flame  of  a  blazing. fire  here  becomes  congealed  intf  spears    f 
solid,  icy  flame,  and  that  we  are  obliged  to  wrap  blankets 
around  our  fires  to  keep  them  warm.    Anything  elfe   hat  cln 

I  come  now  to  speak  of  the  autumn;  that  quiet,  sedate  and 
melancholy  portion  of  the  year,  which  is  here,;s  I  have  befoi-e 
remarked  Its  most  lovely  period.     The  atmosphere  is  warm 

?al     and  b„    f'^'T"^.  '"^  '''^^  ^"  '^'  "^^'"^"^-     ^'^'^  -in 
falls  and  but  few  frosts  occur.     The  thick,  peculiar  haze  so 

common  to  the  Indian  Summer  everywhere,  ifere  is  as  drowsy 

m  Its  appearance  as  though  it  were  endeavoring  too  soon    o 

lull  the  day  to  sleep ;  as  it  rests  over  the  quiet  Ldscape  tl  e 

craggy  bluffs,  the  peaceful   lakes,  and  flowing  streams,  and 

sometimes  almost  hides  the  rich  and  variegated  face  of  natu^ 

as  imperceptibly  it  wanes  and  falls  into  fhe  sere  and  ^ 

leaf.    The  prairies  tlien  become  ignited,  and  blaze  forth  the^ 

mimic  fires  which  revel  in  their  wildness.     With  an  aun)ra 

boreahs  lighting  up  the  northern  heavens,  and  the  vast  bi^ffdo 

lunges  away  to  the  Missouri,  a  perfect  sea  of  roaring  L™ 

bur'       r'  '""'^  '"*^  ^^^'  ^^^-^-"^^  ^^^'1>«-  it^s  glo'Ls 

y  in  winter      Ihe  following  is  a  description  of  the  most  bril 

an    one  which  I  have  noticed.     It  occurred  on  the  n  gh,    f 

the  6th  of  September,  1851,  and  was  witnessed  from  the  f  allev 

-,oec;.e;::-s:b:gi-^^ 


i 


72 


MINNIOSoTA    AND    ITP    KESOURCIia. 


not  oven  tlio  most  vivid  and  wild  inianjination  —  can  do  it  jus- 
tice. It  consisted  of  bright  niasHcs  of  light,  in  some  directions 
illuminating  large  portions  of  the  heavens  —  at  others,  and 
nearly  over  the  •vshole  surface  of  the  sky,  bright  rays  shot 
upwards,  beginning  not  from  the  horizon,  but  at  an  elevation 
of  about  45^^  and  extending  far  south  of  the  zenith.  The  rays, 
in  fact,  appeared  to  shoot  upward  all  around  tho  upper  portion 
of  the  heavens,  uniting  at  the  zenith,  and  producing  one  of 
the  finest  efl'ects  that  was  ever  piodiiceu  by  Nature  in  her 
wildest  freak  or  grandest  cflbrt.  To  the  north  and  S(;iith  of  tho 
zenith,  the  rays  assumed  many  variegated  tints,  among  which 
+he  most  beautiful  pink  and  green  and  a  arious  indescribable 
shades  were  tho  most  prominent.  These  were  constantly 
changing  color  and  the  rays  thoir  forms;  sometimes  like  mov- 
ing columns  of  light,  which  the  Indians  poetically  call  '  the 
dance  of  the  dead,'  the  bright  white  and  colored  rays  or  col- 
umns mf  ving  and  darting  past  each  other  in  an  erect  position, 
and  of  which  a  giant's  causeway,  if  brilliantly  illuminated  and 
put  in  rapid  motion,  would  afford  a  faint  idea. 

"  The  whole  mass  of  light  would  then  cover  the  northern 
heavens  and  encircle  around  the  zenith  ;  assuming  the  varied 
shapes  of  the  most  beautiful  drapery ;  the  lower  edges  being 
tinged  with  a  bright  pink,  intermixed  with  green  above,  while 
at  the  apex  the  light  was  white  and  so  brilliant  a*  almost  to 
dazzle.  Thou  it  would  again  shift  and  spread  rapidly  across 
the  heavens  in  a  curved  belt  or  zone,  like  an  eagle's  plume,  as 
though  the  hand  of  the  God  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth  was 
about  to  appear  and  make  a  record  on  the  clear  moonlit  sky 
below,  and  then  anon  the  rays  and  clouds  of  variegated  light 
would  gather  into  most  beautiful  an'^  fantastic  shapes,  pictu- 
res(|ue  and  wild  in  the  extreme ;  and  so  quickly,  too,  that  the 
eye  could  scarcely  trace  their  motions;  occasionally  darting 
down  their  fringed  edges  which  waved  t(  and  fro  like  canvass 
fluttering  in  the  storm,  resembling  a  tempest  in  the  heavens, 
consisting  of  dancing  I  vims  of  brilliant  light  for  lightning ;  and 
the  falling  clouds,  rays  and  coruscations  of  pink  and  gi'een, 
with  everv  conceivable  varietv  of  colored  halo  f'^r  the  accom 
panying  rain.     It  continued  equally  beautiful  till  long  past 


L>'t.: 


WEATHER,   SOIL,    AND   CLIMATE. 


78 


lo  it  JU8- 
liiections 
icrs,  and 
ays  shot 
elevation 
L'lio  rays, 
r  portion 
g  onr  of 
re  in  her 
ith  of  the 
!ig  wliich 
scrihahle 
instantly 
jke  mov- 
call  '  the 
ys  or  col- 
position, 
lated  and 

northern 
tie  varied 
i^es  being 
ve,  while 
almost  to 
ily  across 
plume,  as 
;arth  was 
onlit  sky 
ted  light 
es,  pictu- 
,  that  the 
y  djirtiiig 
3  canvass 
heavens, 
ling ;  and 
id  gi'een, 
le  accom 
long  past 


midnight,  and  was  watched  witli  admiration  and  awe  by  all 
our  i)arty.  Auroras,  mirages,  and  other  meteorological  phe- 
nomena, are  very  frequent  along  the  northern  boundary  of 
Mninesofa,  and  thence  north  to  Hudson's  Bay.  Charles  Cavi- 
leer,  Esq.,  U.  S.  collector  of  customs  at  Pembina,  in  latitude 
forty-nine  degrees  north,  longitude  ninety-seven  degrees,  ten 
minutes,  west,  has  furninhed  me  with  the  following  particulars 
relating  to  the  meteorology  of  that  distant  region,  for  the 
winter  of  lS52-'3.     Mr.  Cavileer  says  •— 

"  During  December,  there  were  but  five  entire  clear  days, 
and  seven  generally  clear;    seven  cloudy,  and  four  mostly 
cloudy.     The  rest  variable.     There  was  but  one  day  of  perfect 
calm,  between   sunrise  and  sunset,  but  calm  generally   pre- 
vailed at  night;  and  such  nights,  too,  the  most  beautiful  ima- 
ginable.    The  iM-evailing  winds  were  from  the  northwest  and 
southeast ;  the  most  disagreeable  ones  are  from  the  northeast, 
east,  and  south,  and  arc  damp  and  chilly.     The  northwesters 
arc  cold  and  dry,  while  those  from  the  west  are  pleasant,  and 
brin^  fine  warm  weather.     But  seven  or  eight  inches  of  snow 
fell,  with  a  sprhikle  or  two  of  rain,  and  one  sleet.     The  1st  and 
28th  were  the  warmest  days,  the  mercury  stood  at  two  P.  M., 
thirty-four  degrees  above  zero,  and  at  sunrise  on  the  15th,  at 
thirty-eight  below.     There  were  seven  auroras,  and  are  classed 
from  the  tables  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.   But  two  of  them 
were  in  any  way  striking.     The  peculiarity  of  that  of  the  22d 
being  in  the  east  and  northeast,  brightest  due  e?  ^t,  light  red  and 
fiery.     That  on  the  29th  was  a  very  pretty  affair,  commencing 
at  seven,  P.  M.   The  sky  was  clear,  with  a  silver  moon  and  bright 
star-light.     Its  fir^t  appearance  was  in  the  northwest,  like  that 
of  the  moon  befc    j  she  shows  her  face;  then  rapidly  assumed 
class  five,  and  extendc     from  the  northwest  horizon  to  the 
northeast ;  the  arch  a  bright  white,  and  segment  very  dark. 
But  the  fantastics  of  the  outsiders  constituted  the  main  beauty 
of  the  scene— sometimes  taking  the  form  of  the  rainbow,  and, 
nui^bering  from  one  to  three  above  the  arch,  showed  most 
grandly ;   then  rays,  beams,  and  patches  of  light,  would  flash 
up  to  the  iiort]ieast,nni!>ing  west  almf>->  as  quickly  as  the  eye. 
The  outsiders  m.  le  their  exit  about  tei    but  the  arch  contin- 

4 


74 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    RESOURCES. 


I|4 

ill 


i  .fi 


^1 


ight  o'clock,  P.  M.,  I  ob- 


ued  till  eleven.     Decemljer  IS,  a< 

served  a  large  and  splendid  meteor  slowly  traversing  the  north- 
east sky  from  east  to  west.  It  appeared  like  a  larpe  ball  or 
globe  of  fire  ;  a  very  bright,  white  light,  travelling  very  slowly, 
and  leaving  no  wake  or  light  in  its  track.  It  was  in  sight  a 
minute,  and  then  exploded  without  leaving  a  spark. 

"  The  first  mirage  of  the  season  was  on  the  evening  of  the 
22(1,  at  sunset,  and  showed  plainly  the  whole  course  of  the 
river  Maurais,  the  timber  on  its  banks  appearing  but  a  few 
miles  distant.  The  houses  on  the  north,  that  can  hardly  be 
seen  through  a  common  atmosphere,  were  raised  high  up,  show- 
ing ♦hem  plainly,  and  oven  things  lying  about  on  the  ground. 
The  second  and  last  of  the  month  was  on  the  morning  of  the 
29th,  from  sunrise  till  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  was  a  most  grand 
natural  exhibition.  Not  only  the  whole  course  of  the  Maurais 
could  bo  traced,  but  Oak  island,  forty-five  miles  distant,  was 
clear  to  the  view  ;  and  Pembina  mountain,  thirty  miles  off,  was 
dimly  seen  in  the  distance.  These  were  the  first  mirages  I 
ever  witnessed,  and  it  is  certainly  a  very  novel  thing  to  be 
thus  butted  in  the  face  by  things  you  know  to  be  so  many 
miles  distant.  In  January,  1853,  there  were  ten  auroras  and 
eight  mirages.  * 

"  The  mirage  of  the  24th  was  the  most  grand  of  all.  It 
commenced  before  sunrise  and  continued  till  ten,  A.  M.  Just 
at  sunrise,  the  view  was  truly  magnificent ;  in  all  quarters  of 
the  compass,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  country  ap- 
peared to  rise  as  if  we  were  standing  in  the  centre  of  a  basin. 
The  Pembina  mountain,  to  the  west,  loomed  up  grandly ;  dif- 
ferent distant  points  on  Red  river,  to  the  north  and  south,  were 
counted  and  named ;  while  the  rivers  Maurais,  Pnme,  and 
Gratiara,  were  in  plain  sight ;  and  I  really  believe  that,  with 
a  good  glass,  we  might  have  seen  Fort  Garry,  seventy  miles 
below  us  to  the  north,  so  very  clear  was  the  atmosphere. 
About  ten  minutes  after  sunrise  the  mountain  was  invisible ; 
at  eight  o'clock,  fog  to  the  north,  half  part  of  mountain  again 
in  view,  and  at  ten,  A.  M.,  all  had  gradually  disappeared.  The 
Siiy  at  suiii'ise  v/as  about  iiali-ciouueu  \  me  clouus  iving  al* 
round  the  horizon,  with  a  few  light  ones  overhead,  and  main- 


WEATBEE,   SOIL,    AND   CLIMATE. 


n 


tn.ncl  the  «nmo  situation  tl,ro«gl,„ut  tl,e  phenomenon.  Tl.o 
n..ror«  tI,o  m.rages,  tl,e  beautiful  frosting  of  ti.e  trees  ad 
vcg.„a„„n,  with  the  change  of  the  atmosphere,  le ,  w  11  m„  « 
han  pay  for  entering  in  the  elimate ;  and,  if  for  nothing  else 
I  shall  no,  er  regret  having  spent  two  winters  on  the  fort/ntth 
degree  of  north  latitude,  amid  these  northern  wilds  " 

I  know  of  no  point  i„  Uncle  Sam's  domains  betier  situated 

or  a  „,eteorolog,cal  and  astronomical  observatory  than  tls 

It  be,ng  on  h.s  most  northern  boundary,  nearly  midwav  ,. 

.ween  t  e  Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans,  and  in     e^T  glo^  t  J 

great  planjs  that  extend  from  the  north  pole  in  a  f,utl  e  Iv 

d„ect,„„  along  the  base  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  and    1  e^  ^ 

outberly  t hrouf^.  Minnesota,  Wisconsin,  and  Illiuds,  pe   ect  y 

CO  from  the  influence  of  winds  from  the  oceans  o    louCl 

lakes,  we  are  surrounded  by  an  atmosphere  purely  our  own 


76 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   KESOUECES. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    ST.  LOUIS    RIVER    OF    LAKE    SUPERIOR,  LA    POINTE,    FOND    DU 
LAC,    ST.    CROIX    PINERIES,    ETC. 

The  head  of  Lake  Superior  is  about  five  miles  wide,  the 
shore   forming  nearly  a  regular  semicircle.     The  St.  Louis 
river  enters   the  lake  near  the  middle  of  this  hend.     The 
entrance  from  the  lake  is  about  west,  forty  or  fifty  rods,  when 
the  river  bends  suddenly  to   the  north,  keeping  its  course 
parallel  with  the  lake  shore  about  half  a  mile,  when  the  course 
is  again  changed  to   the  southwest.     Here  the  river  widens 
out  into  a  bay  about  six  miles  long,  and,  in  places,  two  miles 
wide  ;  having  several  small  islands  in  it.     The  bend  of  the 
river,  near  the  mouth,  forms  a  peninsula  between  its  north  bank 
and  the  lake,  about  a  mile  long,  and  averaging  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  in  width.     It  is   a  body  of  sand,  producing  only 
some  small  evergreen  underbrush,  and   a  beautiful  grove  of 
tall,  straight,  limbless,  yellow  pines.     On  the  south  side  of  the 
river  there  is  a  tract  of  several  hundred  acres  of  low  land,  a 
portion  of  which  is  similar  to  that  on  the  north  side,  but  much 
of  it  is  swampy.     The  American  Fur  Company,  previous  to 
1840,  had  a  trading  post  here,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  lake, 
but  it  was  subsequently  removed  to  Fond  du  Lac,  at  the  foot 

of  the  falls. 

The  river  at  its  mouth  is  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide, 
and  obstructed  by  a  sandbar,  holding  countless  snags  ;  but  on 
passing  this  a  few  rods,  it  brings  the  boat  beyond  the  bend, 
into  calm,  deep  water,  in  any  weather.  At  the  head  of  the 
bay  the  traveller  is  in  want  of  a  pilot.  From  that  point  to 
the  falls,  the  river  is  full  of  islands  and  fields  of  wild  rice, 
around  and  through  which  there  are  numerous  channels.    The 


RIVERS,   FISnERIES,   ETC. 


11 


FOND   DU 


inexperienced  may  row  several  miles,  and  find  himself  at  tlie 
head  of  a  bay  or  cove,  and  Lc  under  the  necessity  of  returning 
to  seek  the  true  channel.  From  the  lake  to  the  falls,  called 
twenty  miles,  the  nortl'ern  shore  is  bold  and  rugged,  except  in 
;  few  places  where  it  fa:  Is  back,  forming  a  small  plat  of  table- 
land between  it  and  the  river,  or  gives  vent  to  a  small  mountain 
stream.  The  bluffs  on  the  south  side  are  similar  to  those  on 
tlie  north,  for  several  miles  below,  the  falls;  they  there  dis- 
appear. The  Fond  dn  Lac  river,  from  the  southwest,  enters 
the  lake  about  two  miles  south  of  the  outlet  of  the  St.  Louis, 
and  the  valleys  of  the  two  rivers  are  merged  in  one  some  six 
or  seven  miles  from  the  lake. 

A  few  rods  below  the  falls,  a  creek  of  pure,  never-failing 
water  from  the  north,  forms  a  junction  with  the  river.  The 
west  side  of  the  valley  formed  by  this  creek  is  occupied  by  the 
American  Fur  Company,  and  the  east  by  the  missionary  estab- 
lishment of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  whole 
valley  does  not  afford  above  eighty  acres  of  arable  land. 

About  three  miles  north  of  Fond  du  Lac,  a  peak  of  one  of 
the  mountains  towers  far  above  all  others.  The  only  ascent 
is  on  the  north  side,  and  is  tolerably  easy  for  a  footman.  The 
south  side  is  a  perpendicular  rock  of  several  hundred  feet  in 
height.  The  summit  is  a  level  bare  rock.  The  stone  forming 
this  peak  is  unlike  anything  else  seen  in  the  country.  It  is 
of  a  dark  gray  color,  and  so  close  in  texture,  that  the  united 
strength  of  myself  and  interpreter  could  not  break  a  piece  of 
it  by  hurling  it  against  the  mass  on  which  we  stood.  The 
helioldcr  can  scarcely  resist  the  impression,  that  he  stands  on 
a  pyramid,  in  the  midst  of  an  immense  basin,  whose  outer  rim 
is  the  limit  of  human  vision.  Lake  Superior,  though  twenty 
miles  distant,  appears  as  if  lying  at  his  feet,  and  stretching 
itself  away  to  the  east,  until  sight  loses  it  in  the  distance ; 
and  the  river,  with  its  islands,  channels,  and  rice-fields,  is  all 
in  full  view  from  the  falls  to  its  mouth.  The  writer  has  never 
seen  another  spot  where  such  a  comprehensive  view  of  the 
va:  tness  of  creation  could  be  obtained. 

Tlie  falls  of  the  St.  Louis  river  are  nothing  more  than  a  suc- 
cession of  rapids  for  the  distance  of  about  fifteen  miles,  except 


-"C*'; 


78 


MINNESOTA  AND  ITS  RESOURCES. 


HZ  tlielieacl  of  "  Knife  Portage."  At  that  point  the  water  falls 
ahout  ton  feet  perpenfliculariy.  AboA'e  that  point,  to  the 
mouth  of  Savannah  river,  eighty  miles  from  the  lake,  there 
arc  few  hanks  seen  in  high  \vr  2r.  The  bottoms  are  several 
miles  wide  in  places,  indeed  most  of  the  way,  and  often  over- 
flown. But,  from  Fond  du  Lac  to  the  above-named  falls,  the 
water  rushes  through  a  narrow  gorge,  the  banks  in  several 
places  being  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  feet  high,  and  always 
crumbling  in.  In  several  places  within  two  miles  of  Fond  du 
Lac,  they  are  composed  of  shale,  sand,  and  boulders ;  the  slaty 
shale  lying  in  regular  strata,  dipping  several  degrees  west- 
ward on  the  south  side,  nnd  equally  eastward  on  the  north 
side.  Just  above  these  banks,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
an  acre  or  more  of  trap  rock  mixed  with  copper,  precisely  like 
that  below  Lapointe,  is  exposed  to  view  in  low  Avater.  It  has 
the  appearance  of  having  once  been  covered  with  a  bank 
similar  to  those  above  described,  which  has  washed  aAvay  ;  and 
it  was  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  that  the  same  formation  might 
be  found  under  many  of  the  hills  around  the  falls.  Up  the 
creek  before  mentioned,  a  mile  from  the  river,  the  same  mixture 
of  shale  and  sand  may  be  seen  in  many  places.  The  Indians 
considered  this  metallic  substance  in  the  trap  rock  valuable, 
and  in  the  treaty  made  at  Lapointe,  in  1842,  they  reserved 
this  spot,  stipulating  that  the  trader's  store,  one  mile  below, 
should  be  the  corner  of  that  session.  The  head  chief  often 
told  the  writer,  that  he  expected  to  take  out  a  great  amount 
of  wealth  from  the  river,  at  that  spot,  as  soon  as  he  should  get 
the  means. 

The  first  portage  on  these  falls  is  about  eight  miles  long,  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river.  It  is  over  a  very  rough  country, 
through  several  very  swampy  places,  and  is  generally  imprac- 
ticable for  horses,  or  anything  that  can  not  walk  a  pole.  At 
the  head  of  this  portage  canoes  are  used  again,  for  two  miles, 
and  there  the  "  Knife  portage"  is  made  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river,  three  miles,  to  the  grand  falls  above  alluded  to.  In 
high  water,  both  of  these  portages  are  longer.  On  both  sides 
of  the  river  at  the  Knife  portage,  much  of  the  surface  of  the 
ground  is  covered  with  masses  of  slate  equal  to  any  hone  for 


EIVEE8,    FISHEBIES,   ETC. 


79 


edged  tools.  They  liave  the  appearance  of  being  thrown  np 
by  some  internal  revolution,  there  being  nothing  like  order  or 
regularity  in  their  position,  and  the  intervening  ground  being 
even. 

Europeans  who  have  seen  this  slate  allege  that  it  is  equal  to 
that  used  in  England  for  tiling.  The  supply,  even  on  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  is  inexhaustible. 

There  can  scarcely  be  a  limit  to  the  amount  of  fish,  pickerel 
chiefly,  that  may  be  taken  on  the  rapids  during  about  three 
weeks  of  the  spring.  In  the  spring  of  1843,  a  two-fathom 
canoe  filled  in  one  hour  in  the  morning,  by  two  men,  one  steer- 
ing and  the  other  using  a  dip-net.  Both  work  the  canoe  up 
the  rapids  suflficiently  far,  when  one  stands  in  the  bow  with  a 
net,  while  the  other  backs  the  canoe  with  his  might  in  addition 
to  the  rapidity  of  the  current.  From  twenty  to  fifty  large 
fishes  are  frequently  thus  taken  in  passing  about  twenty  rods 
of  the  rapids. 

■  From  Fond  du  Lac,  a  trading  post  situated  eleven  miles 
inland  on  the  St.  Louis  river,  eastward,  for  perhaps  fifty  miles, 
the  margin  of  the  lake  is  a  flat  strip  of  land,  reaching  back  to 
a  rocky  ridge  about  eleven  miles  off.  The  soil  of  this  flat  land 
is  a  rich  red  clay.  The  wood  is  white  cedar  and  pine,  and  of 
the  most  magnificent  growth.  The  American  line  is  beyond 
the  mouth  of  the  St.  Louis,  as  far  northeast  as  Pigeon  river, 
one  hundred  miles.  A  mountain  extends  all  the  way  between 
the  St.  Louis  and  Pigeon  rivers.  It  evidently  abounds  in 
copper,  iron,  and  silver.  The  terrestrial  compass  can  not  be 
used  there,  so  strong  is  the  attraction  to  the  earth.  The  needle 
re?rs  and  plunges  "  like  mad."  Points  of  survey  have  to  be 
fixed  by  the  solar  compass. 

The  Indian  and  half-breed  packmen  have  astonishing 
strength.  One  Indian,  who  is  described  by  the  others  as  being 
as  large  as  two  men,  carried  for  a  company  of  eleven  men 
provisions  for  ten  days,  viz.,  one  barrel  of  flour,  half  barrel  of 
pork  and  something  else,  besides  the  utensils.  Mirage  is  a 
common  phenomenon  in  spring  and  summer.  For  the  bajs  not 
opening  so  soon  as  the  main  lake,  or  not  cooling  so  earl}^  an 
object  out   on  the  lake  is  viewed  ti-om  the  shore,  through  a 


80 


MINNESOTA    AND    ITS    RES()i:iJCi:9. 


donso  medium  of  air  find  a  thin  meuinm.  Hence  is  a  refraction 
of  rays,  which  gives  so  many  wonderful  siglits  that  the  Chip- 
pewas  call  that  the  spirit  or  enchanted  land.  Sail  vessels 
which  are  really  thirty  miles  otf,  are  seen  flapping  and  bellying 
about  almost  within  touch.  Turreted  islands  look  heady  ana 
toppling  towards  the  zenith.  Forests  seem  to  leap  from  their 
stems,  and  go  a  soaring  like  thistles  for  the  very  sport  of  it. 

The  ice  does  not  leave  some  of  the  bays  till  the  10th  of 
June.  The  fish  are  delicious,  especially  the  salmon  trout. 
But  little  land  game.  We  calculate  on  wonderful  enterprises 
in  that  country  after  the  opening  of  the  Saut  canal. 

Lapointe  is  a  town  on  the  lake,  situated  at  the  head  of  a 
bay  some  twenty-five  miles  from  the  high  lake,  and  secluded 
from  the  lake  by  several  islands.  There  is  a  warehouse  three 
hundred  feet  long,  built  of  tamarac  poles,  and  roofed  with  bark. 
This  building  is  very  much  warped  by  the  pressure  of  age ;  it 
is  entered  by  a  wooden  railway.  The  town  is  dingy  and 
dreary.  A  luxurious  garden  contains  a  variety  of  frn;t-trees 
and  shrubs,  planted  by  Charles  H.  Oakes,  Esq.,  now  a  resident 
of  St.  Paul. 

The  following  narration  of  a  trip  from  Lapointe  to  Still- 
water, via  Lake  Superior,  Brule  and  St.  Croix  rivers,  will  be 
found  interesting : — 

"  It  was  a  beautiful  bright  afternoon  in  August,  that,  with 
two  hired  half-breed  voT^.geurs,  in  a  birch-canoe  provisioned 
for  eighteen  days,  we  left  Lapointe,  and  struck  out  into  the 
clear,  smooth,  deep  waters  of  Lake  Superior.  The  coast 
scenery,  that  from  Saut  St.  Marie  to  this  pohit  had  been  very 
dull  and  monotonous,  now  suddenly  changed,  reaching  through 
all  the  degrees  of  beauty,  from  gentle  slopes,  rolling  hills,  to 
widely  romantic,  broken  mountains.  It  is  here  that  the  Porcu- 
pine mountaiais  set  in  towards  the  shore,  and  in  places  come 
out  boldly,  as  if  in  the  act  of  crossing  the  lake,  but  were 
suddenly  split  down  vertically,  forming  a  mural  escarpment, 
perpendicular  from  the  Avater's  edge,  hundreds  of  feet  high,  as 
smo  .th  and  solid  as  the  masonry  of  a  vast  fortress.  The 
Btrata  are  of  the  old  red  sandstone,  of  a  fine  compact  texture, 
and  never  m  (he  wuild  can  quarries  of  handsomer  stone  be 


RIVERS,    FISHERIES,    ETC. 


81 


found  than  tliose.  Blocks  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  long,  the 
outer  surface  smooth  as  pressed  brick,  lay  disjointed  ready 
for  sliipment. 

"  Mfxuy  of  these  bold  mountain  masses  project  over  the  water 
from  sixteen  to  twenty  feet,  supported  at  the  outer  edge  by 
perfectly-formed  columns,  worn  so  by  long  action  of  the  waves. 
These  columns  are  of  very  curious  workmanship  indeed.  We 
passed  under  many  of  these  rocky  arches,  like  majestic  gate- 
ways, and  examined  more  than  a  dozen  columns  of  various 
diameters  ind  heights,  and  all  appearing  as  if  drawn  after 
more  well-proportioned  architectural  models. 

"  The  journey  now  before  lis  was  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  miles,  ninety  of  which  lay  along  this  coast,  up  to  the 
mouth  of  Brule  river.  Fortunately  for  the  voyageur  at  this 
season,  there  is  scarcely  the  shadow  of  a  night  upon  the  lake. 
At  ten  o'clock  we  could  still  read  distinctly,  and  at  twelve  there 
were  soft  crimson  pencilings  upon  the  western  horizon  of  that 
gorgeous  twilight  which  makes  the  summer  evenings  here  so 
enchanting.  I  hfive  seen  night  here  so  transcendently  beau- 
tiful, with  its  bright  stars  and  silvery  moon — its  atmosphere 
so  transparent — that  the  arch  of  heaven  looked  more  serene 
and  heavenly,  more  like  the  abode  oi  spiritual  beings,  and  the 
clear  blue  ether  more  like  tlic  drapery  that  garnishes  a  poetic 
or  imaginary,  than  a  real  world.  As  v/e  glided  along  in  the 
stillness  of  the  night,  our  canoe  moving  so  lightly  as  not  to 
ruffle  the  polished  surface,  the  scenic  picture  was  all  that  the 
most  enthusiastic  novelist  could  desire.  On  one  side,  some 
miles  distant,  lay  a  long  string  of  conical  islands,  thickly  cov- 
ered with  green  forest-trees;  and  on  the  main  shore,  at  an 
equal  distance,  wrapped  in  a  shadowy  gloom,  lay  green  slopes, 
or  in  sullen  grandeur  hung  bold  peaks  or  cliffs  of  mountains, 
Not  a  sound  was  lie;'vd,  exc^^^pt  for  a  time  the  stunning  noise 
of  a  cataract  that  cfv  le  leaping  from  the  top  of  the  heights, 
dashing  down  from  ,ock  to  rock,  its  bright  spray  dancing  upon 
the  moonbeams  and  enveloping  the  dwarfed  pines  In  an  eter- 
nal sheet  o[  mist.  We  had  left  far  behind  us  all  traces  of  civ- 
ilization, and  were  traversing  a  spot  as  primitive  in  its  features 

as  when  the  "stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God 

4» 


82 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


« 


ill 


slioiited  for  joy"  at  tlio  iipav  cvention.  The  scenery  is  p^rand 
at  all  times  ;  hut  in  tlic  stillness  of  night,  liglited  up  by  a  Lake 
Su}ierior  moon,  it  is  magniticently  picturesque  beyond  descrip- 
tion. 

"  It  was  a  dangerous  though  fortunate  gale,  on  the  second 
day,  that  carried  us  about  ten  miles  an  hour  for  eight  hours  to 
the  mouth  of  the  river  we  designed  to  ascend.  "We  reached 
the  delta,  formed  by  sard  and  driftwood,  at  dusk,  and  en- 
camped. The  next  morning  the  canoe  was  well  pitched,  the 
freight  uniformly  disposed  along  the  bottom — my  place  being 
on  a  pile  of  coats  and  blankets  amidships  —  when  old  Charon 
and  assistant  took  their  po.sHion,  denuded  of  all  clothing  ex- 
cept tlieir  breechcioth  and  slnrt  fore  and  aft.  The  Brule  is  a 
narrow,  wild,  roaring,  rocky  stream.  Looking  up  the  mouth, 
it  comes  rushing  down  a  woody,  mountainous  gorge,  leaping 
over  huge  trap  and  grnnite  boulders,  apparently  defying  all 
forms  of  navigation.  This  tumultuous,  whirling  current  we 
ascended  one  hundred  miles,  averaging  twenty-five  miles  per 
day,  in  a  light  bark  canoe,  twenty-seven  feet  long  by  five  mid- 
ships, tapering  sharp  at  the  ends,  turning  up  like  a  Chinese 
junk,  freighted  with  about  twelve  hundred  pounds.  The  boat 
is  set  up  the  rapids  by  poles;  and  where  the  rocky  v/alls  en- 
croach up  )n  the  bed  of  the  river,  crowding  it  into  a  nar- 
row channel,  and  this  further  interrupted  by  reefs  and  boul- 
ders, the  passage  is  attended  with  great  difficulty  and  danger. 
The  boatmen  are  naked,  that,  should  they  miss  a  stroke  with 
the  pole,  like  a  flash  they  dart  into  the  stream,  holding  firmly 
the  canoe,  towing  it  to  shoal  water,  otherwise  it  would  be 
instantly  dashed  to  pieces  by  the  force  of  the  current  against 
the  rocks.  No  one  Avho  has  not  travelled  with  these  fellows 
can  form  an;  idea  of  their  expertness  in  managing  a  boat 
among  the  rapids.  I  take  time  to  speak  of  the  mode  and  dan- 
ger of  ascending  this  stream,  as  romantic  persons  have  signi- 
fied a  determination  to  make  the  trip  next  summer,  and  should 
they  fail  to  get  good,  experienced  voyageurs,  they  will  stand 
a  fair  chance  of  being  left  in  the  wilderness  some  hundreds  of 
miles  from  any  white  settlemeiit,  with  the  pleasing  prospect 
of  a  long  groping  through  one  oi  the  most  impenetrable  forests 


RIVERS,    FISIIF.RIKS,    KTC.  83 

in  tlie  world.  ISIqu  who  have  been  in  the  service  of  tlio  Amer- 
ican Fur  Company  nnderstand  tlic  streams  and  rapids  the  best. 
"  The  country  reaching  south  from  the  hike  one  hundred  miles 
is  rough,  cheerless,  covered  with  pines,  elms,  tamarac,  cedars, 
&c.  The  rocks,  of  igneous  origin,  which  form  the  mineral 
region  in  Michigan,  extend  across  Wisconsin,  and  reach  Min- 
ncsota,  by  what  appears  a  singular  dislocation,  throwing  them 
nearly  two  hundred  miles  south.  Copper  is  found  on  the  Brule 
iu  Wisconsin ;  and  when  I  reached  the  falls  of  St.  Croix,  spe- 
cimens were  exhibited,  coming  from  the  trap  range  which  here 
makes  its  appearance. 

"  The  Brule  in  olden  times  was  great  trapping  ground.  We 
saw  the  remains  of  large  beaver-dams,  and  well-beaten  paths, 
which  the  trappers  call  portages.  They  are  across  long,  sharp 
points,  where  the  river  makes  a  sudden  bend.  It  was  through 
this  stream  that  ,  he  numerous  trapping  posts  on  the  St.  Croix 
and  tributaries,  the  St.  Peter  and  other  tributaries  of  the  Up- 
per Mississippi,  were  supplied  from  the  large  fur-company  post 
at  Lapointe.  There  are  now  no  longer  beaver  or  otter  found 
here  ;  but  rats  are  numerous,  and  some  martin. 

"After  passing  the  ridge  of  highlands,  on  the  third  day,  the 
country  is  level,  marshy,  and  numerous  lakes  are  covered  with 
ducks,  and  are  alive  with  speckled  trout,  of  a  good  size  and 
delicious  flavor.  There  are  several  hard  portages,  in  places 
where  the  rapids  are  too  dangerous :  and  when,  on  the  fourth 
evening,  we  reached  Le  Grand  Portage,  at  the  head  of  the 
Brule,  we  hailed  it  with  joyful  delight.  This  was  the  portage 
across  the  ridge  which  divides  the  south  from  the  north  run- 
ning streams— from  the  Brule  to  the  headquarters  of  the  St. 
Croix.  From  toilsome,  up-hill  poling,  we  would  now  descend 
smoothly  with  the  current,  under  sail,  or  with  light  oars. 

"  I  had  often  listened  to  what  I  considered  extravagant  sto- 
ries of  the  feat  and  strength  of  '  pack-men ;'  and  now  I  wit- 
nessed Avhat,  as  I  attempt  to  relate,  I  can  scarcely  credit. 
The  portage  now  to  make  was  three  miles,  up  and  down  hill, 
over  a  hot,  sunburnt,  barren  heath.  The  afternoon  was  swel- 
tering, the  dry  sands  reflecting  a  scorohino-.  KnflfV^'^i'^i'""'  li'»«* 
and  the  thick  forest  which  hemmed  in  the  trail  cut  off  every 


84 


MINNi:  *>TA    AM)    ITS    Ul'SorRCKS. 


motion  of  tlic  air.  The  cmioo  was  taken  ashore,  and  the 
freight  made  up  into  packages.  A  strong  leather  strap,  nhout 
four  yards  along,  four  inches  wide  in  the  centre,  tapering  grad- 
ually to  the  ends,  is  used,  by  lashing  the  long  ends  around  the 
packages,  the  broad  centre  forming  a  loop  which  is  placed 
against  the  forehead,  the  burden  lying  upon  the  shoulders. 
My  trunk  was  large,  crammed  to  overflowing,  weighin^-  about 
one  hundred  pounds.  The  strap  went  round  this,  upon  which 
was  placed  four  large,  heavy  blankets,  cotton  tent,  three  over- 
coats, bag  of  flour  (eighty  pounds),  iron-bound  keg  with  liquor 
(twenty  pounds),  when  '  Hercules'  squatted,  slipped  the  noose 
over  his  head,  rose  up,  then  seizing  his  hands  full  of  camp-ket- 
tloR,  pans,  (fcc,  started  off  as  erect  as  a  soldier,  and  kept  mo 
blowing,  sweating,  and  panting,  to  keep  pace  with  him  across 
the  portage.  The  other,  old  Sowyerain,  seventy  years  of  age, 
was  loaded  equally  heavy  ! 

"  We  were  now  upon  the  St.  Croix,  or  rather  at  the  boiling 
spring,  which  sends  a  portion  of  its  waters  to  the  south  to  seek 
the  gulf  of  Mexico,  and  another  north  to  the  gulf  of  St.  Law- 
rence. At  this  small  point,  in  this  beautiful  crystal  basin,  two 
rivers  take  their  rise.  One  mile  below  this  the  St.  Croix  is 
half  a  mile  wide,  forming  a  deep  lake,  three  miles  long,  per- 
fectly alive  with  amphibia  and  fish.  Oh,  how  awfully  wild, 
lonely,  and  still,  are  these  places  !  We  know  that  we  are  hun- 
dreds of  miles  from  all  civilization.  White  men  have  been 
here,  but  left  no  traces  behind.  We  move  down  to  a  small, 
open  spot,  and  camp  for  the  night  on  the  margin  of  the  lake. 
Tliere  is  not  a  ripple  on  the  water,  and  the  dark  shadows  of 
the  heavy  trees  on  the  opposite  side  are.  reaching  over;  for 
the  red,  hot  sun  is  now  low  in  the  west;  and  oh,  what  a  soli- 
tary stillness,  as  if  the  wheels  of  Time  stood  still,  and  Nature 
paused  in  breathless  suspense  ! 

"  The  descent  of  this  river  was  very  irksome  and  tedious, 
requiring  four  days.  The  stream  is  tortuoub,  and  has  but  little 
current ;  is  bordered  by  an  almost  continuous  succession  of 
marshes,  wild-rice  fields,  and  large  cranbeiTy-patches.  On  the 
third  day  the  countrv  changed,  and  Inrp'e  natural-irrass  mead- 
ows spread  out  from  the  shores  for  miles.     The  grass  was  about 


TTIT:    ST.    CROIX    PTNKRIES,    KTC. 


85 


six  feet  liigli,  and  would  yield  at  tho  rate  of  many  tons  to  the 


acre. 


"At  Lo  Grand  Portage,  and  some  other  places,  we  passed 
the  remains  of  ancient  Chippewa  towns.  I  could  not  avoid  a 
feeling  of  sadness  when  passing  them,  and  in  places  I  rambled 
over  these  forlorn,  sad  spots.  In  one  open,  beautiful  spot,  some 
twelve  decayed  frames  remain,  and  the  marks  of  camp-fires, 
kindled  here  perhaps  for  centuries,  but  now  deserted,  and  still 
as  death.  All  the  old  home  associations — the  familiar  forests, 
the  haunts  of  the  deer,  wolf,  and  bear — tho  mausoleums  of  the 
dead — all,  all  are  left  behind,  as  the  imperative  command  of 
tin  white  says  to  the  red  man,  •  Onward,  onward,  to  the  Avild, 
snowy  mountains  of  the  west!'  America  crowds  tlom  upon 
Mexico  and  the  mountains  :  Mexico  and  the  sterile  mountains 
crowd  them  back.  In  one  spot  we  met  a  few  squalid,  misera- 
bly-poor, half-starved  men,  squaws,  and  dogs,  who  had  wan- 
dered a  long  way  back  from  the  main  tribe.  They  were  liv- 
ing upon  whortleberries  and  what  fish  they  could  spear  in  the 


river." 


M. 


TUE    ST.    CROIX    PINEKIES,    ETC. 

Tlie  following  article  is  from  the  pen  of  John  P.  Owens, 
Esq.,  editor  of  T/ie  Minncsotian,  the  organ  of  the  whig  party 
in  St.  Paul.     It  will  prove  worthy  of  an  attentive  perusal : — 

"  Since  our  residence  in  Minnesota,  it  has  happened  a  hun- 
dred times,  to  others  as  Avell  as  ourselves,  to  be  '  chucked' 
down  under  the  high  bluff  among  our  pleasant  friends  of  Still- 
water, with  no  manner  of  way  or  convenience  for  leaving  there, 
except  at  California  expenses,  unless  you  chose  to  take  the 
back  track  to  St.  Paul,  wait  for  a  steamboat  going  down  the 
lake,  or  paddle  a  batteau  up  against  the  swift  current  of  the 
St.  Croix.  The  interesting  and  valuable  region  comprising  the 
valley  of  that  river  has  been  neglected  by  strangers,  as  well 
as  citizens  of  other  parts  of  the  territory,  mainly  because  it 
happened  to  be  destitute  of  good  roads,  and  ofl  from  the  beaten 
track  of  general  travel.  Added  to  this,  the  inhabitants  of  that 
region  are  an  entirely  different  class  from  those  who  dwell 


i&L;^^ 


8G 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   EKSOURCES. 


over  tliis  way.  Tliey  liave  not  among  tlicm  any  speculators 
or  town-buiklers,  to  answer  the  purpose  of  conspicuous  adver- 
tisements in  tlie  columns  of  daily  newspapers,  by  keeping  tlie 
great  and  unprecedented  advantages  of  their  several  locations 
prominently  before  the  people  about  the  streets,  and  at  the 
hotels,  and  upon  the  steamboats.  Their  vocation  ia  the  active 
and  laborious  one  of  getting  pine-logs  out  of  the  interminable 
forests  up  toward  the  sources  of  the  river,  converting  them  into 
building  materials,  or  running  them  whole  in  •  ten-acre  rafts' 
to  the  markets  below.  A  man,  to  follow  this  business  success- 
fully, has  very  few  spare  hours  throughout  the  year  for  running 
about  the  country.  In  July  and  August,  he  cuts  his  hay,  near 
where  his  winter's  operations  are  to  take  place ;  in  September, 
October,  and  November,  he  gets  up  his  supplies ;  from  then 
until  April  he  is  *  in  the  woods,'  with  no  chance  to  get  out  of 
them,  and  no  disposition  to  get  out  even  to  '  crow,'  cmtil  the 
spring  freshets  unlock  the  chains  of  winter,  an.l  sweep  his  logs 
into  the  booms;  and  then  till  July  and  haying-'ime  comes 
round  again,  the  months  are  occupied  by  the  most  important 
and  interesting  of  the  whole  year's  transactions — getting  his 
property  to  market,  and  receiving  his  well-earned  cash  there- 
for. 

"  But,  thanks  to  the  good-natured  responses  of  our  dear  Un- 
cle Sam  to  the  St.  Croix  people's  petition  for  a  good  road 
through  their  country,  and  Mr.  Sibley's  faithful  attention  to 
their  interests  in  seeing  the  ways  and  means  put  through  to 
consummate  the  measure,  the  important  region  of  country  to 
which  we  allude  is  about  to  be  placed  in  easy  and  accessible 
communication  with  its  neighbors  residing  in  other  parts  of  the 
territory,  as  well  as  *  the  rest  of  mankind.' " 

(The  author  of  this  work  spent  the  most  of  the  year  1852, 
with  a  force  of  over  fifty  men,  in  opening  a  United  States  road 
from  Stillwater  to  within  seven  miles  of  the  falls  of  St.  Croix. 
It  is  now  completed  to  Sunrise,  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles 
above  the  falls.) 

"In  addition,  some  adventurous  genius  on  a  small  scale, 
down  about  Oquaka,  Illinois,  last  year  conceived  the  s-ood  idea 
of  procuring  a  steamboat  suitable  to  perform  the  duties  of  a 


TIIE   SI,    CROIX   riNERIES,    Ei 


87 


trl-werl  j)acket  between  Stillwater  niul  Taylor's  fulls,  the 
ev  <"ine  point  of  steam  navigation  up  the  8t.  Croix.  It  ia 
tr.u  he  .liU  not  appear  to  h  ve  a  very  correct  idea  of  the  ki  id 
of  «■  at  the  people  really  wanted  and  would  well  support  in 
that  trade  ;  but,  sue  h  n  ,„oht  and  planned,  he  1  ^o  last 

>eas..n  brought  forth Indeed,  the  little     Ilumbold*'  is  a 

great  acconnnodation  to  the  people  of  the  St.  Croix  She 
stops  anywhcr  long  the  river,  to  do  any  and  all  kinds  of 
busuH'ss  that  m.y  offer,  and  will  give  passengers  a  longer  ride, 
so  iar  as  time  is  concerued,  for  a  dollar,  than  any  other  craft 
we  ever  travelled  upon.  She  is  also,  to  outward  appearances, 
a  temperance  boat,  and  cnrries  no  cooking  or  table  utensils. 
She  stops  at  the  'Marine  -ing  and  returning,  to  allow  the 
people  aboard  to  feed  upon  a  good,  substantial  dinner:  and 
the  passengers  are  allowed,  if  they  i\  \  so  isposed,  to  carry 
'  bars  HI  their  side-pockets  and  '  bricks  in  their  hats.  A  very 
accommodating  craft  is  the  'Iluml  .kit,  and  a  convenience 
that  IS  already  set  down  on  the  tot.  Croix  as  one  indispen- 
sable.  ^ 

"Weh.nppened  on  the  St.  Croix  at  a  time  peculiarly  adapted 
for  observing  what  is  going  on  in  that  quarter.     Over  here 
about  St.  Paul,  people  are  too  apt  to  imagine  they  are  doing 
the  entu-e  busniess  of  the  territory.     The  difference  between 
us  and  the  St.  Croix  folks  ai  (his  time  is  very  striking,  so  far 
as  regards  the  gveat  essential  particular  of  buying  and  selling. 
We  are  buy n.g- they  are  selling.     We,  of  the  Mississippi, 
have  now  going  out  of  our  river  a  small  quantity  comparatively 
of  logs  and  lumber.     But  we  have  by  every  boat  from  below 
comng  r,,  dollars  in  amount  of  articles  for  consumption,  to 
where  the  '^xports  are  cents  in  the  shape  of  products  of  our 
forests  gomg  out.     We  are  aware  this  state  of  things  will  not 
contmue  long,  as  our  country  is  rapidly  filling  up  with  farmers ; 
but  It  IS  so  just  at  this  time.     On  the  other  hand,  our  neighbors 
ot  tJie  St.  Croix,  with  a  population  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
roin  Tomt  Douglas  to  the  farthest  point  toward  its  source  of 
umbering  operations,  not  equal  by  several  hundred  souls  to 
tiiatot  bt.  raul,  will  send  to  market,  tin's  ena^on  si-t-  -n,'!]?-,- 
feet  of  sawed  lumber  and  logs,  provided  the  streams  continue 


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MINNESOTA    AND  ITS  SE30URCES. 


Jl'il],  ; 


I ' 


at  their  present  stage  a  few  Aveeks  longer.  Soma  weeks  ngo 
we  made  an  estimate,  placing  the  entire  amount  of  logs  in  the 
territory  at  a  much  less  figure  than  this.  We  were  hugely 
mistaken.  Circumstances  have  greatly  favored  the  St.  Croix 
lumbermen  this  season.  For  two  years  past,  the  low  stage  of 
tlie  water  has  prevented  them  from  clearing  the  upper  streams 
of  logs :  now  they  are  getting  them  all  out,  old  and  new.  The 
present  season  opened  with  quite  a  freshet,  owing  to  the  heavy 
falls  of  snow  last  winter.  The  boom  was  ear]y  filled,  and 
many  millions  have  already  reached  the  markets  below.  But 
the  *  June  rise,'  caused  by  the  steady  rains  for  the  past  three 
weeks,  has  probably  done  the  business  thoroughly  for  them. 
From  Stillwater  to  the  Boom,  six  miles  below  Taylor's  falls, 
you  are  scarcely  out  of  sight  of  rafts  and  strings  of  logs.  The 
whole  way  up,  and  about  the  boom,  it  requires  no  great  stretch 
of  fancy  to  imagine  one's  self  passing  through  a  country  in 
military  possession  of  Queen  Victoria,  so  often  do  we  pass 
detachments  of  stout,  hardy  men,  dressed  in  red. 

''  The  lumbermen  of  the  St.  Croix,  during  the  sessions  of  the 
Wisconsin  and  Minnesota  legislatures  of  1850-51,  procured 
the  incorporation  of  the  •  St.  Croix  Boom  Company,'  with  a 
capital  of  110,000.  This  work  was  considered  absolutely 
necessary,  to  facilitate  the  business  of  driving,  assorting,  and 
rafting  logs.  The  stock  was  speedily  taken  ;  and  by  the  fol- 
lowing season  the  boom  was  built  and  ready  for  service.  The 
work  is  substantial  and  permanent.  Piers  of  immense  size 
are  sunk  at  proper  distances,  from  the  Minnesota  shore  to  the 
foot  of  a  large  island  near  the  centre  of  the  stream,  and  again 
from  the  head  of  the  island  to  the  Wisconsin  shore.  The 
boom  timbers  are  hung  from  pier  to  pier ;  and  the  whole  river 
is  entirely  commanded,  with  no  possibility  of  scarcely  a  single 
log  escaping.  The  charter  of  the  company  compels  them, 
however,  to  give  free  passage  to  all  boats,  rafts,  &c.,  ascending 
or  descending  the  river.  This  duty  is  rather  difficult  to  per- 
form at  certain  times,  particularly  when  the  logs  are  running 
into  the  boom  bripkly,  and  hands  are  not  to  be  had  to  raft  and 
run  them  out.  This  was  the  case  once  this  season.  The  Asia 
came  up  with  a  heavy  freight,  which  she  had  signed  to  deliver 


THE   ST.    cnOIX    PINEUmS,    ETC.  89 

at  Taylor's  falls.     When  she  reached  the  boom,  a  barrier  of 
three  or  four  miles  of  logs  compactly  intervened  upon  the 
water  s  surface,  and  forbade  her  further  progress.     The  com- 
pany had  been  unable  to  procure  laborers  to  clear  out  the  lo^s 
but  wei^  nevertheless  clearly  liable  to  damages  for  obstructing 
navigation      1  hey  chose  the  only  remedy  at  hand,  which  was 
to  receive  the  freight,  and  pay  its  transportation  up  to  the  falls 
m  Mackmaw  boats.    With  a  full  complement  of  men,  the 
boom  can  always  be  kept  clear  at  the  point  where  it  crosses 
the  mam   channel  of  the  river.     But  owing  to  the  unusual 
demand  for  labor,  this  ^as  been  a  difficult  matter  the  present 
season.  *^ 

"This  boom  is  undoubtedly  the  most  complete  and  expensive 
work  of  the  kind  in  the  northwest.     It  is  the  business  resort 
of  all  the  lumbermen  on  the  river,  and  those  who  wish  to  have 
any  transaction,  with  them,  during  the  season  of  rafting  and 
running     It  is  to  them  precisely  what  'Change  is  to  the  mer- 
chants of  a  large  city.   Mill  proprietors,  dealers,  pilots,  loggers, 
and  raftsmen,  here  do  o.ngregate    ^aily,  to  talk  over  theii' 
affairs  and  transact  their  business.      If  you  wish,   at  this 
season,  to  see  a  man  residing  in  that  section  of  country,  you 
will  be  more  apt  to  find  him  at  the  boom,  some  day  during  the 
week,  than  at  home  or  anywhere  else.    Every  man's  logs  on 
he  river  are  compelled  to  pass  through  the  boom,  and  during    ■ 
the  process  they  are  assorted  and  rafted,  and  delivered  to  him 
or  his  pilots  imm3diately  below.     So  much  per  thousand  is 
allowed  the  company  by  law  for  this  labor,  which,  by-the-by 
we  understand  has  never  yet  been  sufficient  to  pay.     It  is 
thought,  however,  that  the  present  season  will  show  a  different 
result,  owing  to  the  large  increase  of  business. 

"  It  IS  a  curiosity  to  see  the  huge  size  of  some  of  the  rafts 
from  tins  boom.  Two  noted  St.  Croix  pilots  passed  Stillwater 
vvi  h  a  fleet  of  three  million  feet  under  their  command.  We 
beWe  that  this^  is  the  largest  lot  of  logs  that  ever  went  out 
01  tlie  tet.  Oroix  in  one  body. 

TavW«  ^/ll """"  rr'l?^  ^",  descending  the  St.  Croix  from 
laylors  falls,  is  the  Osceola,  on   the  Wisconsin  side.     Its 

water  powrr  is  a  spring  branch  from  the  Beiehborinr.  blnff« 

»,  57  , 


■ 


lii 


i. 


A  ' '  S  I  M 


90 


MINNESOTA   AND  ITS   RESOURCES. 


Bimilar  to  the  Marine  and  other  mills  below  the  falls,  and  is 
said  to  be  the  best  on  the  river.  This  mill  has  been  in 
rperation  since  1845.  It  is  now  owned  and  managed  by  the 
Messrs.  Kent,  Mr.  Mahoney,  who  had  been  identified  with  the 
establishment  since  its  inception,  having  retired  last  fall. 
With  proper  improvements,  Osceola  can  be  made  one  of  the 
most  extensive  manufacturing  establishments  on  the  river. 

"Marine  Mills  is  next  in  order.  This  is  a  place  on  the  St. 
Croix,  noted  for  its  extensive  manufacturing  facilities.  The 
Marine  Company  erected  last  season  an  extensive  new  mill, 
which  is  now  running.  There  is  sufficient  water  power  to  drive 
two  saws,  but  the  new  mill  has  been  erected  with  a  view  of 
using  steam  machinery.  It  speaks  well  for  the  prosperity  of 
the  Marine  Company,  and  the  lumbering  business,  to  see  in 
operation  such  elegant  and  complete  mills  as  this.  The 
workmanship  and  machinery  are  not  excelled  by  any  in  the 
ten-itory. 

"The  establishment  of  Mr.  Mower,  the  Areola,  is  six  miles 
above  Stillwater.  Here  has  also  been  erected,  within  the  past 
year,  a  new  mill,  which  is  operated  by  steam — the  only  mill 
of  the  kind  as  yet  in  operation  on  the  St.  Croix.  Mr.  Mower 
also  continues  his  old  water-mill,  and  appears  to  be  driving 
an  extensive  business. 

"  Passing  on  to  the  upper  edge  of  Stillwater,  we  come  to  the 
n-ins  of  the  extensive  steam-mill  of  Messrs.  Sawyer,  Heaton 
&  Setzer,  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  a  few  months  since. 
But  the  determined  proprietors  have  no  notion  of  giving  it  up 
so.  We  noticed  men  at  work  removing  the  rubbish,  preparatory 
to  rebuilding. 

"  The  M'Kusick  mill,  at  Stillwater,  is  still  ripping  away  after 
the  old  fashion.  His  establishment  is  noted  for  the  excellent 
and  neat  manner  in  which  he  prepares  his  lumber  for  market. 

"We  visited  the  new  steam-mill  below  Stillwater,  belonging 
to  Messrs.  Churchill  &  Nelson,  Carlton,  Loomis,  and  others. 
It  is  not  yet  quite  ready  for  motion,  but  will  start  oflf  full  rigged 
next  month.  If  we  are  any  judge  of  such  matters,  this  mill, 
in  many  respects,  '  takes  them  all.'  It  has  the  same  power  as 
the  Oakes  establishment  of  St.  Paul,  and  will  drive  the  same 


THE  ST.    CEOIX    TINERIES,   ETC. 


91 


amount  of  saws  and  machinery,  but  is  more  spacious,  conve- 
nient, and  eligibly  situated  for  doing  business.  The  engine 
was  built  in  Detroit. 

"  On  the  Minnesota  side  of  the  lake,  opposite  Hudson,  Mr.  M. 
Perrin  is  erecting  a  steam  saw-mill,  which  will  be  in  operation 
soon.      In  the  vicinity  of  Hudson  are  the  mills  of  Messrs. 
Jfears  and  Bowron.     Then  at  the  mouth  of  the  lake  is  the 
mill  of  Messrs.  Stevens  &  Co.    This  completes  the  list,  making, 
when  Messrs.  Sawyer,  Heaton  &  Setzer's  new  establishment 
is  completed,  eleven  mills  in  the  valley,  with,  in  the  aggregate, 
over  twenty  upright  saws,  and  the  usual  amount  of  circulars 
attached.     This  amount  of  machinery  should  be  able  to  cut 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  feet  of  lumber  every  twenty- 
four  hours— worth,  in  the  St.  Louis  market,  fourteen  dollars  per 
thousand.     We  think  we  have  heard  it  remarked  that  Minne- 
sota has  no  resources  ! 

"  While  people  are  going  crazy  abor'   he  valley  of  the  Min- 
nesota and  other  portions  west  of  the  Mississippi,  they  should 
recollect  there  are  old  locations  worth  looking  at,  with  a  high 
market  at  the  door  of  every  farmer  for  the  next  hundred  years, 
or  as  long  as  the  pineries  last.     Going  by  land  from  Stillwater 
to  laylor's  Falls,  you  pass  over  the  same  character  of  country 
as  lies  between  St.  Paul  and  Stillwater,  with  the  exception 
that  the  land  is  of  a  much  better  quality  generally.     West 
of  the  road  lies  Cornelian  lakf ,  a  large  and  beautiful  sheet  of 
water.     Immediately  back  of  Marine  is  another  large  lake 
Marme  is  situated  upon  the  line  of  the  open  and  timber  coun- 
try.    Immediately  north  of  that  point  commences  the  heavy 
'  hard   wood'  growth,  consisting  of   oak  of  the  largest  size, 
sugar  maple— which  predominates— bass  wood,   ash,  white 
walnut,  &c.      This  extensive  forest  runs  north  some  thirty 
miles  to  the  mouth  of  Sunrise  river.     The  heavy  timber  con- 
tinues  the  whole  distance,  the  western  border  being  within 
twenty  miles   of   St.  Paul.     The  land  is  of  the  very  best 
quality,  rolling  but  not  broken,  and  the  heavy  timber  so  thick 
that  the  rays  of  the  sun  can  scarcely  reach  the  ground.     The 
timber,  soil,  and  character  of  the  country,  through  this  forest 
and  around  Lake  Chisago,  is  precisely  similar  to  what  we  see 


99 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS  RESOUBOES. 


ll,! 


abont  Lake  Minnetonka.  Lake  Chisago  has  about  forty  miles 
of  coast.  Around  its  shores  are  settled  seveval  families  of 
Swedes,  who  are  beginning  to  farm  in  a  small  way.  There  is 
also  a  settlement  of  these  people  in  the  vicinity  of  Marine. 

"  Sunrise  river,  or  creek,  takes  its  rise  about  four  miles  north 
and  six  miles  west  of  Marine,  and  about  six  miles  north,  bear- 
ing east,  of  White  Bear  lake.  It  runs  in  a  northerly  direction, 
and  empties  itself  into  the  St.  Croix  sixteen  miles  above  Tay- 
lor's falls.  The  valley  of  this  stream  is  unsurpassed  as  an 
agricultural  country.  But  very  little  land  along  it  is  yet 
taken  up,  which  is  also  the  case  with  the  entire  timber  country 
we  have  spoken  of  east  of  it.  It  is  proper  also  to  mention, 
that  the  source  of  Sunrise  is  in  the  same  township  as  that 
of  Rice  creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Mississippi  sixteen  miles 
above  St.  Paul.  Toward  the  mouth  of  Sunrise,  northwest  of 
Taylor's  falls,  and  traversing  the  banks  of  the  stream,  is  one 
of  the  most  fertile  and  beautiful  of  prairies,  extending  eight 
or  ten  miles  north  and  south,  and  from  two  to  three  east  and 
west.  Only  about  two  sections  of  this  delightful  farming 
paradise  is  yet  claimed.  What  renders  this  tract  so  very  val- 
uable is,  that  it  is  immedately  adjacent  to  the  immense  hard- 
wood timber  country  we  have  alluded  to,  and  close  on  up 
toward  the  pine  region. 

"  The  country  northeast  of  us  is  an  impassable  region  of  lakes 
and  swamps.  The  facts  are  just  as  we  have  stated,  although 
it  is  true  the  country  is  exceedingly  well-watered  with  ■  r)ring 
branches  and  clear  lakes.  A  very  large  proportion  oi  these 
lands  are  marked  *  number  one'  in  the  field  notes  of  the  sur- 
veyors, while,  according  to  the  same  authority,  there  is  no 
land  of  this  high  character  (or  at  least  scarcely  any)  immedi- 
ately about  St.  Paul. 

"  As  has  been  published  to  the  world  a  thousand  times,  this  is 
the  most  northern  point  of  continuous  steamboat  navigation 
from  below  on  the  water  of  the  Mississippi,  or  its  tributaries. 
The  celebrated  falls  of  St.  Croix  are  half  a  mile  above,  but 
boats  can  not  ascend  over  Taylor's  falls ;  although  there  is  no 
precipitous  fall  at  the  latter  place,  only  swift  rapids.  The 
scenery  and  character  of  this  bold  and  romantic  locality  has 


THE   ST.    CROIX    PINERIES,   ETC. 


98 


been  so  often  described  by  able  pens,  that  we  will  not  hazard 
all  we  could  (lo  — a  bare  attempt  to  go  over  the  ground  suc- 
cessfully. The  picture  is  graphically  and  truly  delineated  in 
Mrs.  Ellet's  '  Summer  Rumbles  in  the  West,'  to  which  we  in- 
vite the  attention  of  those  of  our  readers  who  have  never 
visited  this  noted  spot.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  those  who  visit 
Minnesota,  and  go  away  without  seeing  *  Rock  island,'  the 
'Delles,'  'Taylor's  Falls,'  and  the  'Falls  of  St.  Croix,' 
leave  out  of  the  note-book  of  their  observations  a  section  of 
country  and  scenery  that  is  worth  going  three  times  the  dis- 
tance to  behold.  There  is  nothing  like  it  anywhere  else  in 
this  part  of  the  world.  No  conception  can  be  formed  of  the 
character  of  its  boldness  and  grandeur  by  viewing  the  falls 
of  St.  Anthony.  It  is  altogether  a  piece  of  architecture  and 
workmanship  of  an  entirely  different  style,  as  much  so  as  a 
Corinthian  palace  is  different  from  a  Gothic  cathedral. 

"  The  geologists  have  told  us  all  about  the  formations  of  this 
region.     The  dark  green  trap  rock— known  by  the  common 
name  of  'green  stone'— similar  in  texture  and  general  ap- 
pearance to  the  more  grayish  copper-bearing  rock  of  Lake 
Superior,  is  thrown  up  here  in  immense  masses,  lying  all  over 
the  surface  so  thick  that  a  team  can  not  be  driven  over  it  with 
safety.     This  upheaving  process  has  only  been  carried  on  ia 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  falls.     Half  a  mile  back  on  the 
Minnesota  side  it  entirely  disappears.     This  is  also  a  copper- 
bearing  rock,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  large  boulders  of 
pure  copper  in  excavating  weils  and  cellars.    We  have  one 
now  on  our  table,  taken  from  a  well  immediately  in  the  village 
of  Taylor's  Falls  a  few  weeks  since,  which  weighs  about  one 
pound,  and  is  over  ninety  per  cent,  of  pure  copper.    There  is 
no  doubt  that  this  metal  exists  in  large  quantities  in  this  trap 
range ;  but  at  the  present  tir.e  the  citizens  of  the  Falls  have  a 
more  certain,  if  not  a  more  profitable  occupation  than  prospect- 
ing for  copper. 

"  Taylor's  Falls  is  really  one  of  the  oldest  places  in  Min- 
nesota, although  the  neat  and  pleasant  village  of  thirty  or 
forty  houses  — all  tastefully  built  and  cleanly  painted  — 
which  one  sees  there  now,  has  sprung  into  existence  during 


<i    !' 


« 


.i«,;ij|-,j 


^mw: 


' 


\m 


II  ft  r 


94 


MINNESOTA  AND  ITS   EES0UECE8. 


the  past  two  years.  The  'claim'  upon  which  this  thriving 
village  stands,  was  made  by  Jesse  Taylor,  Esq.,  a  well-known 
citizen  of  Stillwater.  He  afterward  entered  into  partnership 
witli  Mr.  Baker,  an  Indian  trader,  remembered  by  all  our 
older  settlers  as  the  gentleman  who  built  the  largo  stone  house 
on  the  Mississippi,  above  Fort  Snelling,  now  owned  by  Ken- 
neth M'Kenzie,  Esq.,  of  St.  Louis.  Messrs.  Laker,  Taylor, 
and  others,  proceeded  here  to  erect  the  first  mill  ever  com- 
menced on  the  St.  Croix.  Mr.  Baker  died  before  it  was  com- 
pleted, and  the  frame  was  afterward  removed  to  Osceola,  six 
miles  below  on  the  Wisconsin  side,  where  it  was  re-erected  and 
still  stands,  doing  good  service  for  its  present  owners.  Jesse 
Taylor  subsequently  sold  liis  claim  to  Joshua  L.  Taylor,  the 
gentleman  first  appointed  marshal  of  Minnesota,  by  President 
Taylor,  in  1849,  who  still  owns  a  portion  of  the  old  claim. 
Another  of  the  Taylor  family  a  brother  of  J.  L.,  and  a  well- 
known  and  influential  citizen  of  the  St.  Croix  Valley,  in  part- 
nership with  Mr.  Fox,  at  this  time  carries  on  trade  in  the  old 
•  claim  cabin'  erected  by  Jesse  in  1837 ;  so  it  will  be  seen 
there  is  no  sense  in  calling  the  place  anything  else  than  Tay- 
lor's Falls.     Mr.  W.  H.  C.  Folsom  holds  forth  on  the  opposite 

corner  in  the  same  business — that  of  general  merchandise 

which  two  establishments  complete  the  stock  of  mercantile 
transactions  at  Taylor's  Falls.  He  is  engaged  in  a  very  ex- 
tensive trade  with  the  lumbermen,  and  is  one  of  the  master 
spirits  of  the  Upper  St.  Croix. 

"  There  is  no  mistaking  the  fact,  that  Taylor's  Falls  is  al- 
ready a  place — quite  a  place — and  is  bound  to  be  a  still 
greater  one.  There  are  two  good  hotels  already  finished ; 
and  the  one  at  which  we  stopped,  the  Chisago  house,  is  better 
furnished,  and  as  well  kept — barring  the  inconvenience  of 
having  no  meat  and  vegetable  market  at  hand — as  any  house 
in  St.  Paul,  St.  Anthony,  or  Stillwater.  Some  of  the  finest 
trout  and  other  fishing,  as  well  as  hunting,  to  be  found  in  this 
northwestern  region,  is  about  these  falls.  A  great  many  im- 
provements in  the  Avay  of  building,  are  in  progress  at  Taylor's 
Falls,  with  men  at  the  helm,  such  as  we  might  name  as  lead- 
ing citizens  of  the  place — situated  so  as  to  command  the  trade 


THE  ST.   CROIX  PraEBIES,  ETC.  06 

of  the  increasing  lumbering  region  to  the  north-being  at  the 
extreme  head  of  navigation,  and  with  an  unequalled  farming 
cmintry  back,  there  can  be  no  retrograde  movement  to  Taylor's 

"Lest  we  might  excite  feeling,  in  the  minds  of  some  that 

won  d  af^rward  be  doomed  to  disappointments,  we  will  state 

he  fact  that  no  lots  arc  for  sale  at  Taylor's  Falls,  except  to 

ose  who  w,sh  to  build.     The  proprietors  have  detern^ned 

win  It  rr :: ir '"" '-"  '"'<"  ■""""  •"  ^^---  ''■'<' 

;'The  evening  we  arrived  was  that  of  the  first  day  of  court, 
bcng  the  first  court  held  by  his  honor  Chief-Justice  Welch 
s.nce  Ins  appomtmcnt  to  the  bench.  Chisago  is  a  new  county 
conta^mng,  comparatively  not  a  great  number  of  inhabitant^ 
and  those  neighborly  and  peaceably  disposed  toward  each 
othci.  So  there  was  not  much  business  on  the  docket,  and 
rather  dry  p,ck,ng  for  the  eight  or  ten  lawyers  present.  Per- 
haps they  d.d  n't  appear  there  for  the  purposes  of  legitimate 
praci.ce.  Lawyers  u-ill  be  found  hovering  about  county  courts 
whether  they  have  business  or  not,  particularly  when  impor-' 
tant  election  days  are  approaching. 

"The  old  milling  site  of  St.  Croix  Falls,  which  it  would  take 
all  the  cour is  m  Christendom,  and  all  the  Philadelphia  law- 
yers  with  their  number  multiplied  by  ten  thousand,  to  decide 
to  whom  It  rightfully  belongs,  is  now  wearing  greater  signs  o^ 
ac^ve  prosperity,  than  it  has  since  the  famouT' Bosto/ com- 
pany laid  the  withering  curse  of  their  hands  upon  it.    It  al- 
ways appeared  to  us  a  burning  shame,  and  a  disgrace  to  the 
countiy  that  so  great  and  glorious  a  water  privilege,  planted 
hy  the  hand  of  Nature  directly  within  striking  distfn  e^f  o^e 
of  the  mos   inexhaustible  pine  regions  in  the  world,  should  be 
ufrered  to  lay  waste  from  year  to  year,  or  be  used  at  ruinous 
sacrifices  to  every  man  who  touched  it.     These  results  have 

cupidity,  and  a  desire  to  ovenide  and  crush  his  fellow-man. 

^h  ch  orr"  "  ^<:,""''<'-'»'"l  ''«  giving  any  opinion  as  to 
which  of  the  parties  litigant  are  in  the  right;  but  certain  it  is, 
Mr.  Hungerford,  who  now  has  possession,  is  making  the  F,!!. 


96 


MINNI'HOTA    AND    I'l-S    Ul->^«>l'UCIC9. 


look  vastly  inoro  like  a  Im.sinehs  placo  tlian  it  lias  lor  years. 
The  mill  luiH  been  ri^littcd  nilli  new  uiacliiuery  tlio  past  win- 
tor,  and  is  now  drivinfj;  aliiwid  rapidly,  day  and  nij^lit,  rnnning 
fonr  Haws,  with  the  remaining  two  almoHt  in  readiness  to  start. 
1'hingH  ahont  tlie  village  wear  a  prosperons  aj)pearanco ;  and 
if  the  j)r()perty  wore  only  out  of  law,  there  would  he  no  more 
thriving,  driving,  go-ahead  village  in  the  state  of  Wisconsin 
than  «t.  C^roix  Falls. 

"  If  a  suit  in  a  Wisconsin  cliancery  court  should  eventually 
prove  a  thing  less  enduring  than  the  trap  rocks  which  form 
the  8t.  Croix  falls  —  a  matter  we  think  extremely  doubtful  — 
there  are  yet  hopes  that  this  immense  water-power  will  result 
in  some  great  and  iirofitablc  benefit  to  some  member  or  mem- 
bers of  the  human  family. 

*'  Hero  also  is  .the  battle-ground  of  the  great  legal  contest,  car- 
ried on  by  a  '  Boston  company,'  with  the  Honorable  Caleb 
Cushing  at  their  head,  on  one  side,  and  Mv.  Hungerford  on 
the  other.  The  water-power  is  of  immenso  force  and  vulue, 
and  can  bo  turned  to  account  with  but  little  expense.  The 
rocky  reef  which  forms  the  falls  forms  thus  a  natural  dam,  and 
on  the  shore  below  are  the  seats  for  extensive  mills.  The 
Boston  company  laid  out  a  town  here,  built  a  number  of  cot- 
tages ;  but  when  the  contention  commenced,  all  business  was 
suspended  —  the  lumbering  mills  thrown  idle;  but  now  that 
Mr.  Hungerford  has  taken  possession,  the  activity  and  enter- 
prise of  the  place  will  continue.  The  lumbering  business  on 
this  river  in  a  few  years  will  be  immense.  The  first  signs  of 
civilized  life  we  met  were  at  the  falls,  but  above  this  the  river 
is  filled  with  logs  for  fifty  miles." 


MINM1C8UTA   KIVWC,    UWmWK   KlKiloN,    ETC. 


97 


CHAPTER    VI. 

TI.L      M,NN,.:«OTA      inV.H      COVmiiY  ^-TUK     ,;ND,Nfc      REOTON     OF 

With  tl.o  cxcoption  of  tl.o  '•  Bi.  Woods,"  tl.o  wl.olo  country 
n.ny  Ik,  co..HnNMv,,l  an  j.rairio,  Iho  Htroan.s  only  beinjj  «kirtod 
wuh  wood.  On  (ho  whole,  tlnne  is  a  want  of  timlun  for  ordi- 
i.ary  farnunj,^  j.urposcs  in  a  thickly-inl.abitcd  district;  but  if 
tlu,RTowH.  oi  tnnbcr  b.  encouraged,  as  the  pop.dation  grad- 
ually  .ncroasos,  a  deficiency  n.ay  never  bo  experienced. 

I  l.ronghont  the  greater  part  of  this  region,  the  traveller  is 
surpnsed  an.  channed  with  the  everchanging  variety  and 
beauty  of  the  scenery.  ^  j'       "* 

The  alluvial  lan.l  bordering  upon  the  river,  varies  in  width 
ftou.  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  a  n.ile  or  nu,re.  The  greater  por- 
t.on  o  th.s  constitutes  nun^erous  natural  meadows,  covered 
annually  wUh  a  uxuriant  growth  of  grass.  A  small  proportion 
0  these  a  luvial  lands  is  covered  with  ash,  elm.  sugar  and 
whae  maple,  biUternut,  white  walnut,  lime,  linden,  box  elder 
cot  o„..vood  and  hickory.  A  cor^siderable  portion  of  these 
flats,  bemg  subject  to  annual  overflow,  are  wet  and  marshy. 

A  ren.arkable  feature  of  this  country  consists  in  the  small 
lakes  and  ponds  scattered  over  it.  Many  of  these  are  beautiful 
siieets  of  water,  having  the  appearance  of  artificial  basins, 
^v  neh  greatly  enhance  the  beauty  of  the  country,  especially^ 
when  skated,  as  they  sometin.es  are,  by  groves  of  trees,  ad 
r^iuented  by  water  fowl,  which  tend  to  anynate  and  relieve 
the^otherwise  almost  deathlike  silence  which  so  pervades  the 

si,!!r\r^''M-^^'^'""^T"^"''  '''  ^""«^^«"ce  with  the  Missis, 
fcq.pi,  the  Minnesota  has  a  sluggish  current,  and  is  slightly 


■•:«^  ■«*•'■■«•-•.« 


tmm 


08 


MINNKS(yrA   AND   ITS   UKSOURCES. 


:1>i' 


\ 

1     :l  jii 

1  . :  :■■ 

wliitiHli  —  lioncc  tlio  Dakota  name  of  "Minnesota"  or  water 
"tinted  like  tlie  sky." 

Coal  beds  arc  believed  by  many  to  exist  on  the  bead  waters 
of  the  Mankator  or  Blue  Kartb  river,  and  otlier  tributaries  of 
the  upper  ]\IinneHota.  IMeees  of  Cannel  coal  have  been  found 
from  time  to  time,  though  not  in  such  abundance,  nor  are  the 
indications  at  any  point  ho  strongly  nmrked  as  to  induce  us  to 
believe  that  any  very  extensive  beds  will  be  found  in  those 
localities.  David  Dale  Owen,  United  States  geologist,  in  his 
rej)ort  of  a  geological  survey  of  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Minne- 
sota, in  18 18-'9,  says  : — "  On  the  Mankato,  and  its  branches, 
several  pieces  of  lignite  were  picked  up  from  the  beds  and 
banks  of  the  streams.  Some  of  this  lignite  approaches  in  its 
character  to  Cannel  coal ;  but  most  of  it  has  a  brown  color, 
and  exhibits  distinctly  the  ligneous  fibre,  and  other  structure 
of  the  wood  from  which  it  has  been  derived.  Diligent  search 
was  made  to  endeavor  to  trace  this  mineralized  wood  to  its 
source,  and  discover  the  beds  where  report  had  located  an 
extensive  and  valuable  coal  field.  At  one  point,  a  fragment 
was  found  seventy  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river,  projecting 
from  the  drift ;  but  no  regular  bed  could  be  detected  anywhere, 
even  in  places  where  sections  of  the  drift  were  exposed  down 
to  the  magnesian  lime  stone.  The  conclusion  at  which  those 
who  were  appointed  to  Investigate  the  matter  arrived,  was, 
that  the  pieces  occasionally  found  throughout  the  Minnesota 
country,  are  only  isolated  fragments  disseminated  in  the  drift, 
but  that  no  regular  bed  exists  within  the  limits  of  the  district. 

As  regards  salubrity,  soil,  timber,  and  water,  we  doubt 
whether  any  portion  of  the  west  presents  greater  inducements 
for  immigration  than  the  charming  valley  of  the  Minnesota 
river.  The  eye  is  delighted  with  a  succession  of  rural  land- 
scapes of  unsurpassed  and  varied  beauty.  The  scenery  is  not 
bold  and  craggy  like  that  of  the  Mississippi,  and  upper  St. 
Croix,  but  picturesque,  and  homelike.  The  wide-spreading 
prairies,  studded  with  oak  groves,  terminating  in  sloping  banks, 
and  fringed  with  meadows,  which  bound  the  right  bank  of  the 
Minnesota  at  its  entrance  ;  and  the  rolling  prairies  which  make 
a  gentle  declivity  down  to  the  winding  stream  on  the  left, 


MINNlao-li  luVKlt,   UMOUJE  BKOION,  ETC.  89 

excite,   „pn„  fir»t  cr'  .  i„p;  ,|,„  „,„„„,  „f  „,„  Minnesota    nn 

,.;,       .  .  *  ^"^P">  *»**''«  valley  as  seen  from  flifl 

t  mi     n  fv.et  luf.!.,  above  the  bottoms,  are  sometimes  concealed 

fioiu  the  steamboat  travollor  bv  l.na,,,   .•    u  t^<>"C(  aicd 

to  the  river  bed       But  1      ^^y  ^'"^^^^  g^owinp:  clown 

oeu.      iiut  generally,   except  through  the   Bois 

'  ,   ' ,  '^""''-  ,  <^''''  B'"™8  icsen,bling  c.ltivnte,!  orcl.nrds  n,„l 
«  b.ck  g,-„..ucl  of  „p,„„.„„Hy  <,e„,o  timber,  complete     e.eaav 

ucautful  sites  for  farmhouses  and  improvements.     Tlio  .mtural 
t.c  valley,  a  refmed  taste  in  rural  arel.itecture.     AlthonrrI, 

« I..C1  feasts,  but  does  not  pall,  the  sigbt  of  the  voy ageur     N^ 
a  »po    but  seems  to  await  with  impatience  the  adorfr.  Im,  d 
0   c,v,l,.at.o„;  not  an  acre  but  appears  ready  for  th"7xe  t le 
rl"ugh,  or  the  scythe.     It  is  a  common  remark  that  !h„  wl,„ 
country  looks  as  if  it  had  been  suddenly  dose  ted  by  a  In    ed 

lliere  are  many  beautiful  sites  for  towns  along  the  river 
L.t  Ic  Rap,ds  wm  probably  be  a  place  of  importance,  as  steams 

IT : ;:« ::'if;  "r'ff  •"  ''"-'"■'•  ^'"'  ^"o  -  »•'"« 

yards  wldlCverytrkr  "'"""-'""^  ^'="^  ^  "^'^^ 

ihere  ,s  plenty  of  hard-wood  timber  on  the  river,  sufficient 

vX''':  '-""T  l-elow.     It  consists  of  hard  and  soft  m! 

pie,  oak,  ash,  elm,  white  and  Mack  walnut,  hickory,  cheny, 


100 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    KESuUliCES. 


)^ 


cotton^\ood,  <fec.  For  tlie  distance  of  thirty-six  miles,  the 
river  winds  through  the  Bois  Franc,  a  dense  forest  which 
crosses  the  river,  and  is  from  fifteen  to  forty  miles  wide,  and 
one  hundred  long. 

In  a  few  years,  many  steamboats  will  be  running  with  freight 
and  passengers  between  the  bustling  city  of  St.  Paul  and  the 
thriving  towns  and  settlements  of  the  Minnesota  river — but 
that  is  looking  to  the  future.  For  the  present  and  the  next 
four  or  five  years,  there  will  be  sites  for  farms,  as  cheap  — as 
good  land — as  Itealthy,  and  nearer  to  markets— con renient 
to  the  great  Mississippi  above  and  below  the  falls,  where  sa- 
gacious farmers  will  locate  and  improve  in  preference  to  going 
farther  oflf,  for  the  mere  gratification  of  fancy. 

In  pointing  out  the  most  favored  portions  of  our  territory 
for  agricultural  settlements  we  are  guided  more  by  the  travels 
of  scientific  and  experienced  men  than  by  practical  knowledge. 
Excepting  the  farming  done  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  there 
has  been  but  little  land  broken  in  the  territory.  The  strip  of 
land  lying  between  the  St.  Croix  and  the  Mississippi,  while  it 
proves  abundantly  productive  of  leguminous  plants,  grass,  oats, 
&c.,  does  not  appear  so  well  adapted  in  body  and  depth  of  soil 
for  the  more  weighty  cereals,  as  the  lands  to  the  southwest  of 
the  Mississippi,  toward  the  sources  of  the  Cannon,  Vermillion, 
and  Blue-Earth  rivers. 

Seventy -nine  years  before  the  survey  of  Nicollet,  the  coun- 
try was  explored  by  the  English  traveller  Carver,  in  1766. 
He  records,  as  follows:  "The  river  St.  Peter,  which  runs 
through  the  territories  of  the  Naudowessies,  flows  through  a 
most  delightful  country,  abounding  with  all  the  necessaries  of 
life,  that  grow  spontaneously ;  and  with  a  little  cultivation  it 
might  be  made  to  produce  even  the  luxuries  of  life.  Wild 
rice  grows  here  in  great  abundance ;  and  every  part  is  filled 
with  trees  bending  under  their  loads  of  fruits,  such  as  plums, 
grapes,  and  apples ;  the  meadows  are  covered  with  hops  and 
many  soAs  of  vegetables  ;  while  the  ground  is  stored  with  use- 
ful roots — with  angelica,  spikenard,  and  ground-nuts  as  large 
as  hens'  eggs.  At  a  little  distance  from  the  river  are  enii- 
ueuces,  from  which  you  have  views  that  can  not  be  exceeded 


MINICE80TA   RWrR,    UNDINE  REGION,   ETC. 


101 


even  by  the  innst  benutiful  of  those  I  have  already  described. 
Amidst  these  are  deliglitful  groves,  and  such  amazing  quanti- 
ties of  maples,  that  they  wonhl  produce  sugar  sufficient  for 
any  number  of  individuals.  This  country"  (near  Mankato 
city)  "  likewise  abounds  with  a  milk-white  clay,  out  of  which 
china-ware  might  be  made  equal  in  goodness  to  the  Asiatic ; 
and  also  with  a  blue  clay,  which  serves  the  Indians  for  paint." 
This  language  will  undoubtedly  sound  very  strong  when 
read  in  the  far  east,  yet  it  is  con-oborated  by  the  more  exten- 
sive and  minute  observation  of  the  past  few  years.  Within 
the  last  three  years,  every  mile  of  tliis  country  has  been  trav- 
ersed, and  recently  much  of  it  claimed ;  and,  like  a  really 
good  thing,  the  more  we  see  and  hear  of  it,  the  better  we 
like  it. 

G.  W.  Featherstonhaugh,  F.  R.  S.,  ascended  the  St.  Peter's 
on  an  exploring  tour  in  1835.  In  his  work  he  says :  "  The 
channel  [at  the  confluence  of  the  Mankato  with  the  St.  Peter'sJ 
is  one  hundred  yards  wide,  and  the  country  extremely  beauti- 
ful ;  the  prairie  occasionally  coming  down  to  the  water's  edge, 
while  at  other  times  bold  bluffs  arise  with  well-wooded  slopes, 
interspersed  with  graceful  clumps  of  trees. 

"About  half-past  five,  P.  M.,  I  landed  for  the  night  at  one 
of  the  loveliest  encampments  I  had  yet  met  with ;  charming 
slopes,  with  pretty  dells  intersecting  them,  studded  with  trees 
as  gracefully  as  if  they  nad  been  planted  with  the  most  refined 
taste  ;  everything  indeed  around  us  was  interesting.  I  could 
not  but  think  what  a  splendid  private  estate  could  be  contrived 
out  of  so  beautiful  a  territory.  A  mansion,  built  on  one  of 
those  gentle  slopes,  backed  by  thousands  of  well-formed  trees, 
decked  in  their  autumnal  colors;  thousands  of  acres  of  the 
most  fertile  level  land,  with  the  river  in  front,  and  a  world  of 
pr;iirie  in  the  rear,  abounding  with  grouse." 

1  take  pleasure  in  quoting  these  two  disinterested  Englisb 
authorities;  the  one  writing  in  1766,  the  other  in  1835,  fol- 
lowed by  M.  Nicollet  in  1845.  What  they  say  borders  appa- 
rently so  closely  upon  poetic  exaggeration,  that  it  is  only  by 
considering  their  entire  disinterestedness  in  the  matter  that  a 
stranger  who  has  not  visited  the  country  will  be  disposed  to 


■!      i 


103 


MINNESOTA  AND   ITS   KESOURCES. 


■1  tm  '^r  i  1 


a  ;3 


give  full  crcclcnco  to  what  tlicy  conjointly  recorcl.  Carver 
was  a  very  close  and  practical  observer,  and  made  strenuous 
eftbrts  to  secure  the  country  to  himself  and  heirs,  by  a  pre- 
tended or  real  grant  from  the  Indians.  Nicollet,  as  an  engi- 
neer, is  eminently  scientific  and  practical.  Featherstonhaugh, 
a  distinguished  geologist,  while  he  surveyed  the  rocky  strata 
with  scientific  earnestness,  indulged  his  poetic  fancy  in  admi- 
ring the  picturesque  landscapes — the  wide-spread  lawns,  rol- 
ling waters,  rocks,  dells,  and  grottoes,  fringed  with  trees  —  so 
gracefully  formed  and  disposed,  as  if  directed  by  the  highest 
artistic  skill.  He  evidently  left  the  country,  then  an  uninhab- 
ited wilderness,  with  feelings  of  regret.  He  longed  for  a  splen- 
did private  estate  that  could  be  contrived  out  of  so  beautiful  a 
territory — a  mansion  with  a  rolling  lawn  sweeping  down  to 
the  river  in  front ;  on  either  side  thousands  of  acres  of  level, 
fertile  land,  with  a  prairie  in  the  rear  abounding  with  grouse. 

About  one  year  since,  the  Indian  title  to  the  lands  west  of 
the  Mississippi,  in  Minnesota,  was  extinguished.  In  a  short 
time,  these  same  Indians  will  be  removed  and  shut  up  in  the 
wilderness  behind  the  new  fort,  now  in  course  of  construction. 
In  anticipation,  however,  of  the  tardy  movements  of  the  gov- 
ernment, and  before  the  savage  occupants  leave,  or  any  stops 
taken  to  bring  the  land  into  market,  the  restless  surge  of  im- 
migration is  flowing  rapidly  onward,  inundating  the  entire 
country.  Already  every  eligible  site  for  a  town  upon  the  Mis- 
sissippi, from  the  Iowa  line  to  St.  Anthony,  is  claimed,  and 
improvements  in  rapid  progress.  Nor  is  the  condition  of  the 
]\Iinncsota  essentially  different.  Perhaps  the  enterprising  as- 
pirants here  even  excel  the  Mississippians.  The  Minnesota 
penetrates  the  very  heart  of  the  aew  purchase,  and  is  naviga- 
ble as  long  as  the  Mississippi  remains  open  in  the  fall.  The 
eye  of  practical  sagacity  has  already  discovered  to  thousands 
the  inestimable  value  of  this  country  and  its  river-towns. 

Ascending  the  Minnesota  for  three  hundred  miles,  thence 
projecting  a  line  south  to  the  Iowa  boundary,  following  this 
east  to  the  Mississippi,  thence  up  the  river  to  the  starting- 
point,  we  enclo?e  a  tract  of  immense  size  probably  unequalled 
in  agricultural  value,  all  things  considered,  by  any  public  lands 


MINNESOTA   RIVER,   UN        E  REGION,   ETC,  103 

now  held  by  tlie   govornment.  o  sides  of  this  beautiful 

plateau  are  washed  l)y  broad,  swe*  ^)iiig  rivers  alive  with  steam- 
ers; numerous  smaller  rivers  and  streams  course  through  the 
interior,  aflbrding  abundant  wa^er-power,  while  lakes  of  fresh 
water  are  dotted  over  the  surface,  as  though  Nature,  in  a  mo- 
ment of  extreme  prodigality,  liad  determined  to  make  this  the 
most  favored  of  all  pastoral  countries. 

Of  the  fertility  and  productiveness  of  the  soil,  it  is  now  su- 
perfluous to  speak ;  and  it  is  also  generally  well  known  that, 
while  there  is  an  abundance  of  open  land  for  farming  or  gra- 
zing, there  is  an  ample  supply  of  heavy  timber  for  all  needful 
purposes.  So  some  of  the  advantages  possessed  by  the  coun- 
try are— 

1.  A  most  congenial  and  salutary  climate. 

2.  Fertile  and  productive  soil. 

3.  Open  prairies,  interspersed  with  belts  of  heavy  timber 
(basswood,  hickory,  white  oak,  white  ash,  black  walnut,  sugar- 
maple,  &c.,  &c.). 

4.  Rivers,  streams,  and  lakes,  watering  every  fractional  por- 
tion of  the  country, 

5.  Navigable  streams,  already  the  highway  of  an  immense 
business — the  number  of  steamers  increasing  yearly. 

6.  A  direct  steam  communication  with  the  great  markets 
and  railroads  of  the  south. 

7.  Land  open  for  settlement  without  any  other  expense  than 
to  locate  upon  it ;  nor  will  any  tax,  or  even  the  minimum  gov- 
ernment price,  be  demanded  till  the  survey  is  completed,  which 
may  not  be  for  two  or  three  years. 

8.  The  towns  on  the  Mississippi,  Red-Wing  at  the  south 
edge  of  the  Undine  region,  St.  Paul  at  the  central  edge,  and  St. 
Anthony  above,  are  ready  to  supply  all  the  wants  of  the 
farmer,  and  purchase  his  surplus  provisions  in  return. 

9.  The  country  is  generally  level,  the  soil  a  decomposed 
mould,  easily  worked,  and  in  its  natural  state  covered  with  a 
luxuriant  growth  of  grass,  averaging  from  eighteen  inches  to 
three  feet  in  height.  For  years  neither  hay  nor  pasture  can 
be  an  item  of  expense. 

10.  From  experience,  we  kiiow  that  all  the  grains  of  the 


104 


MINNESOTA    AXD    ITS    RESOURCES. 


Ill 

;3  U 


i     ; 


i  ^ii 


middle  states  thrive  liere  to  tlie  greatest  perfectioiij  and  the 
superiority  of  leguminous  plants  is  a  matter  of  common  con- 
sent. 

11.  In  the  vicinity  of  Mankato  city,  brick-clay  of  a  very 
fine  quality  is  found  in  abundance,  while  quarries  of  building- 
stone  are  found  along  the  rivers  and  streams  in  many  different 
localities. 

The  above  statements  are  so  fully  endorsed,  that  the  writer 
has  no  apprehensions  of  being  charged  with  drawing  upon  his 
own  fancy.  M.  Nicollet,  in  his  report  of  the  '*  Ilydrographic 
Basin  of  the  Upper  Mississippi,"  says  : — 

"  I  shall  now  proceed  to  give  a  short  account  of  some  of  the 
regions  of  country  adjoining  the  Coteau  des  Prairies.  Among 
these,  that  which  appeared  to  me  the  most  favorable,  is  the 
pne  watered  by  the  *  Bold  Mankato'  or  Blue-Earth  river,  and 
to  which  I  have  given  the  name  of  '  Undine  Region.' 

"  The  great  number  of  navigable  tributaries  of  the  Mankato, 
spreading  themselves  out  in  the  shape  of  a  fan ;  the  group  of 
lakes,  surrounded  by  well-wooded  hills ;  some  wide-spreading 
prairies  with  a  fertile  soil ;  others  apparently  less  favored,  but 
open  to  improvement — the  whole  together  bestow  upon  this 
region  a  most  picturesque  appearance.  It  was  Avhile  on  a  visit 
to  the  beautiful  lakes  Okamanindam  and  Tchanluissan  that  it 
occurred  to  me  to  give  the  name  I  have  adopted,  derived  from 
an  interesting  and  romantic  German  tale." 

Mankato  city  is  the  name  of  a  newly-surveyed  site  of  a 
future  city  in  the  very  heart  and  centre  of  this  elegant  coun- 
try. It  is  near  the  junction  of  the  "  Bold  Mankato"  with  the 
Minnesota  river,  and  at  the  extreme  south  bend  of  this  latter 
stream,  nearly  a  hundred  miles  in  a  southwesterly  direction 
from  St.  Paul.  Here  it  is  upon  the  glittering  banks  of  two 
silvery  streams  of  spacious  capacity,  with  fertile  prairies  open- 
ing to  the  warm,  sunny  south,  sweeping  off  for  miles  and  miles 
till  the  closing  vista  is  bounded  by  fringes  of  forests,  while  in 
the  rear,  close  to  the  south  bank  of  the  river,  stands  heavy 
timber,  ready  to  the  builders'  hands,  to  be  converted  into  dom- 
icils  of  comfoit  or  elegance,  that  Mankato  citv  is  located. 

The  town  plat  has  been  laid  out,  and  is  owned  by  Henry 


MINNESOTA   KmSR,    UNDINE  EEOTON,   ETC. 


105 


mon  con- 


M'Kenty,  a  m<an  of  activity,  enterprise,  and  perseverance, 
ivho,  in  securing  tins  clioice  spot  and  expending  upon  it  liis 
fluids,  lias  done  so  after  a  mature  and  careful  consideration  of 
its  commercial  relations  with  the  Undine  country,  with  the 
Minnesota  river,  and  the  southern  outlet  by  way  of  the  Missis- 
si])pi,  after  crossing  the  country  a  hundred  and  thirteen  miles 
to  the  foot  of  Lake  Pepin,  with  heavy  wagons  over  a  good 
natural  road. 

It  is  almost  physically  impossible  to  tap  the  Undine  region 
with  a  railroad  and  escape  this  point.  When  it  is  reached,  it 
stands  in  the  very  centre  and  heart  of  the  richest  country, 
much  of  the  most  available  land  lying  still  west,  stretching 
out  into  the  Wahpeton  country,  and  toward  the  sources  of  the 
Blue  Earth  and  tributaries.  These  streams  are  navigable  for 
large  barges  to  within  a  few  miles  of  their  rise.  For  the  pres- 
ent, communication  may  be  made  by  steamers  up  the  Minne- 
sota, or  over  land,  following  the  Cannon  river  valley,  or  Le- 
grange  river,  striking  the  Mississippi  at  Hed  Wing.  For  those 
coming  up  from  below,  bringing  stock,  wagons,  &c.,  the  point 
of  debarkation  will  be  at  some  place  near  the  foot  or  head  of 
Lake  Pepin. 

A  new  town  called  "  Gorman,"  is  being  laid  out  on  the  Can- 
non river,  midway  from  Mankato  and  Lake  Pepin,  on  the  ter- 
ritorial road  ;  and  in  as  good  a  locality  for  a  town  as  any  yet 
started  in  the  territory.  The  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Can- 
non is  as  good  as  any  in  Minnesota,  and  is  rapidly  filling  up 
with  hardy  farmers  from  New  England.  The  proprietors  are 
Messrs.  Robert  Kennedy  and  A.  J.  Morgan.  Mr.  K.  has 
superintended  the  surveying  and  laying  out  the  town-site 
iuto  lots.  Success  to  the  enterprise.  The  town  is  called 
Gorman,  after  Hon.  Willis  A.  Gorman,  the  present  governor 
of  Minnesota. 

A  description  of  the  country  between  Lake  Pepin  and  Man- 
kato city  is  of  some  importai  f  ^  •  "  The  extreme  length  of  the 
road  is  one  hundred  and  thirteen  miles.  A  tangent  would 
make  it  about  one  hundred  and  five,  thus  being  eight  miles  in 
avoiding  swamps,  &c. 

"  The  country  near  the  lake  is  very  broken,  being  cut  up  by 

5* 


lOG 


iriNXESOTA    AND    ITS    KKSOURCKS. 


vaviiios  (loRCOiuliuf^  from  the  liiglilaiuls  t  .  tlic  lake.  In  many 
of  lliosr  raviiu's  may  be.  found  some  of  tlic  riclicst  farming 
lands  in  iMinncsota.  Hardly  a  ravine  bnt  has  its  "trout 
brook"  shaded  with  a  luxuriant  grove  of  all  kinds  of  tindier. 
At  your  near  approach  to  the  higlilands,  you  continually  en- 
counter springs ;  and  It  is  not  an  unfrequent  occurrence  to  find 
at  tlie  rc)  ij  hciglit  of  some  ridge,  a  spring  of  limpid  w.ater.  I 
made  it  a  j)oint  to  searcli  the  highest  lands  for  water. 

"  After  3'ou  leave  the  lake,  say  five  or  six  miles  back,  you 
will  find  a  diflVrcnt  countryi»thc  soil  of  which  would  be  hard 
to  analyze.     It  is  what  I  would  call  poor,  or  rather  none  of 
the  best,  being  sand  intermixed  with  numerous  small  flints. 
Timber  is  scarce,  and  what  there  is,  is  scrubby  burr  oak  of  the 
leanest  kind.     But  remember  Ave  are  on  the  dividing  ridge  be- 
tween the  Cannon,  on  the  north,  and  the  Waze  Ozu,  on  the 
south,  so  that  while  barrenness  presents  itself  in  your  immedi- 
ate vicinity,  an  hour's  travel  either  to  the  right  or  left  brings 
you  to  Eden-like  valleys.     When  some  eighteen  or  twenty 
miles  back,  again  there  is  a  sudden  change  from  sterility  to 
ricli  prairies,  abounding  in  water  and  groves  of  fine  timber ; 
such  a  country  as  would  make  a  farmer's  eyes  water,  and  if 
covetous,  would  make  him  wish  to  own   all  that  joined  his 
farm.     The  soil  is  a  loam,  slightly  sandy,  abounding  in  small 
hazel-brush.     The  greatest  enemy  the  farmer  will  find  here  is 
the   gopher;    the    ground   is  literally  ploughed  by  them,  so 
much  so,  that  in  many  places  their  excavations  made  it  diffi- 
cult to  proceed  on  horseback,  as  we  were  constantly  breaking 
through,  even  where  the  ground  appeared  smoothest.     I  trav- 
elled about  forty  miles  over  this  undulating  prairie,  when  I 
struck  the  w^oods  that  skirt  the  Cannon  near  its  head,  on  the* 
east  side  —  consisting  of  the  largest  kind  of  oak,  ash,  walnut, 
elm,  sugar  maple,  &c.,  many  trees  of  which  were  four  and  five 
feet  in  diameter,  sixy  feet  to  a  limb,  and  straight  as  a  reed. 
The  woods  are  from  two  to  five  miles  wide,  and  extend  in 
length,  I  know  not  how  far. 

"When  you  reach  the  Cannon,  which  here  runs  north,  you 
will  find  yourself  in  one  of  the  loveliest  of  countries.  The 
Cannon  is  some  eighty  feet  wide  and  about  a  foot  deep,  with 


lb. 

t4.*.iyi<iil 

MINNESOTA    RIVKR,    TNDTNK    RF.OION,    ETC. 


107 


ffill  cnoiifrli  for  nn  immf.nso  water-power.  It  docs  not  over- 
flow its  banks  at  tliis  point,  rising  only  some  five  or  six  feet. 
Tliis  may  be  attributed  to  several  large  lakes  above,  which 
act  as  reservoirs.  On  the  west  side  is  a  prairie  which  extends 
some  four  miles  back,  to  Lake  Tepe-Tonka ;  so  level  is  it  that 
a  good  sized  dog  might  be  seen  on  any  part  of  it. 

"  Lake  Tepe-Tonka,  more  properly  Tetonka,  is  a  beautiful 
sheet  of  water,  some  four  miles  long  and  two  wide.  Along  its 
pebl)ly  shores  may  be  found  wagon-loads  offish  carcases,  por- 
tending abundance  of  the  '  live  article'  in  the  lake.  From 
tliis  lake  flows  a  branch  of  the  Cannon,  thus  bounding  the 
above-mentioned  water.  The  country  west  of  this  point  is 
good,  bad,  and  indiflferent,  being  alternately  prairie,  swamp, 
and  marshes." 

I  append  also  a  description  of  "  Mille  Lacs,"  which,  thou<ih 
east  of  the  Mississippi,  is  of  some  interest  to  those  ignorant  of 
its  localities  :  "Mille  Lacs  is  the  largest  body  of  water  in  the 
territory  southwest  of  Lake  Superior,  being  about  eighteen 
miles  from  north  to  south,  and  fifteen  mile,  from  east  to  west. 
On  the  east  side,  about  one  third  the  distance  down  from  the 
north  shore,  is  a  point  projecting  into  the  lake  composed  of 
Large  boulders.  The  land  along  the  east  shore  is  well  tim- 
bered with  oak,  maple,  ash,  elm,  birch,  and  aspen.  The  shore 
is  from  four  to  twelve  feet  high,  and  walled  with  a  line  of 
boulders,  some  of  which  are  remarkably  large.  The  lake  is 
shallow  for  a  long  distance  from  the  shores,  and  the  bottom 
entirely  covered  with  boulders.  Southwest  of  the  point  named 
above,  is  a  tamarac  swamp,  the  level  of  which  is  lower  than 
tliat  of  the  lake ;  the  lake  being  walled  in  by  a  bank  ten  or 
twelve  feet  high,  composed  of  boulders  and  soil.  This  heap- 
ing up  of  boulders  so  as  to  form  barriers  higher  than  the  sur- 
rounding country  occurs  also  at  many  other  points.  At  one 
place  the  boulders  form  an  inclined  plain  ten  or  eleven  feet 
high,  for  a  long  distance ;  while  the  general  level  of  the  coun- 
try is  not  over  seven  or  eight  feet  above  the  waters  of  the 
lake. 

*'  In  the  RoutheaRterly  portion  of  the  lake  are  several  small 
islands,  composed  entirely  of  boulders,  filled  up  sometimes  as 


108 


MINN  I' SOT  A    AND    ITS    KKSOURCES. 


high  as  twenty  feet.  Around  one  of  these  islands  is  a  wall 
of  boulders  several  feet  higher  than  the  centre,  the  formation 
of  which,  as  well  as  of  the  lake  barriers,  I  attribute  to  the  ac- 
tion of  ice.  On  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  near  its  outlet,  is  a 
projecting  point,  bearing  northeast,  and  in  that  direction  corre- 
Bpouds  with  the  point  mentioned  on  the  east  shore,  and  marks, 
probably,  the  course  of  a  granite  ridge  concealed  beneath  the 
drift.  Near  the  point  is  the  largest  island  in  the  lake,  and  the 
only  one  covered  with  a  good  soil ;  on  it  the  Indians  have  gar- 
dens.    The  ridge  forming  the  point  is  covered  with  pines. 

"  Rum  river  is  about  twenty  feet  wide  at  the  outlet  of  Millo 
Lacs ;  in  less  than  a  mile  it  expands  into  Rice  lake,  about 
three  miles  long,  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide.  The  country 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake  is  from  twenty -five  to  thirty  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  water.  Two  other  lakes  occur  in  the 
distance  of  about  five  miles,  both  filled  with  rice.  The  last 
one  is  about  two  miles  long,  and  three  quarters  of  a  mile  wide. 


11 


ST.    PAUL. 


109 


CHAPTER   VII. 


TIIK     PRINCIPAL     TOWNS ST.     PAUL,     AND     MATTERS     CONNECT- 
ED    WITH     THAT     NORTHWESTERN     METROPOLIS THE     PRESS, 

CHURCHES,    ETC. OWITUARY     NOTICE     OF    JAMES    M.    GOODHUE. 

St.  Paul  — latitude  44°  52'  46'^  longitude  93°  4'  54''— is  a 
port  of  entry,  the  county-seat  of  Ramsey  county,  and  the  seat 
of  government  of  the  territory  of  Minnesota.  It  is  pleasantly 
situated  on  the  cast  bank  of  the  Mississippi  river,  eight  n»iles 
from  tlie  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  five  miles  from  Fort  Snel- 
ling;  about  two  thousand  and  seventy  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  and  near  its  confluence  with  the 
Minnesota  river,  and  is  elevated  about  eight  hundred  feet 
above  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  It  is  near  the  geographical  centre 
of  the  continent  of  North  America,  in  the  north  temperate 
zone,  and  must  eventually  become  a  central  nucleus  for  the 
business  of  one  of  the  best  watered,  timbered,  and  most  fertile 
and  healthy  countries  on  the  globe.  It  is  surrounded  in  the 
rear  by  a  semicircular  plateau,  elevated  about  forty  feet  above 
tlie  town,  of  easy  grade,  and  commanding  a  magnificont  view 
of  the  river  above  and  below.  Nature  never  planned  a  spot 
better  adapted  to  build  up  a  showy  and  delightful  display  of 
nvchitecture  and  gardening,  than  that  natural  terrace  of  hills. 
The  town  has  sprung  up,  like  Minerva  full  armed  from  the  head 
of  Jupiter,  and  now  contains  five  thousand  inhabitants;  its 
whole  history  of  four  years  forming  an  instance  of  western 
enterprise,  and  determined  energy  and  resolution,  hitherto 
unsurpassed  in  the  history  of  any  frontier  settlement. 

Whatever  direction  we  take  among  the  localities  of  Minne- 
sota, we  find  subjects  of  interest,  whether  in  awaking  the 
spirits  of  the  dusky  past,  or  alig^      g  upon  the  improvements 


110 


MTNNKSOTA.    ANT)   ITS    RESOURCKS. 


of  onr  own  timos.  Thora  is  scnrcoly  a  section  of  tlio  world 
newer  tlian  this;  and  we  may  add,  there  is  no  section  which 
has  started  upon  the  liorizon  of  civilized  life  more  suddenly. 

St.  Paul  occupies  perhaps  the  most  eligihle  and  commanding, 
and  also  one  of  the  most  beautiful  locations  on  the  upper  Mis- 
sissippi. Commercially,  it  is  the  key  to  all  the  vast  region 
north  of  it,  and,  by  the  Minnesota  river,  to  the  immense  valley 
drained  through  that  important  tributary  to  the  Father  of 
Waters.  The  approach  to  it  by  the  river  from  beloAv  is  grand 
and  imposing.  The  traveller,  after  leaving  Dubuque,  more 
than  three  hundred  miles  below,  sees  nothing  to  remind  him 
of  a  city,  or  even  a  prosperous  business  town,  until  he  rounds 
the  bend  in  the  river  below  St.  Paul,  and  her  tall  spires, 
substantial  business  houses,  and  neat  dwellings,  burst  upon  his 
view. 

By  the  general  course  of  the  river,  St.  Paul  is  situated  upon 
the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi.  The  local  course  of  the 
river,  however,  at  this  particular  point  is  from  southwest  to 
northeast.  This  circumstance  often  confuses  strangers  in  cast- 
ing about  for  the  pohits  of  the  compass.  The  site  v  "  the  town 
is  elevated,  and  stands  partly  on  the  alluvium  on  the  margin 
of  the  river,  and  partly  on  the  elevated  table-rock  some  hun- 
dreds of  feet  above.  Thus  conspicuously  perched  up,  it 
glistens  and  shines  with  white  paint  and  red  brick,  like  a  piece 
of  new  cabinet-ware  just  from  the  shop.  Five  years  ago,  when 
the  territory  was  organized,  there  was  not  the  sign  of  a  village 
in  the  country.  The  organization  was  completed ;  law  and 
order  secured  :  and  white  adventurers  flocked  in,  and  huddled 
together  for  company  and  protection,  thus  laying  the  founda- 
tion of  a  city  which  already  numbers  thousands.  The  main 
street  is  fully  a  mile  in  length,  with  buildings  running  from 
shanties  to  five-story  bricks.  The  "  seven"  churches  with  lofty 
spires,  show  that  the  aspirations  of  the  St.-Pauleans  are  up- 
ward, and,  though  in  the  wilderness,  they  make  the  welkin 
ring.  A  travelling  friend  observed  he  had,  in  Constantinople, 
where  they  have  five  sabbaths  a  week,  heard  the  Turkish  Sa- 

lims.    thp.    oa^hf^li''    a»^d    r>vof<»a<'«n<-      +I1A    flv'^f^^'-     Awrn^ri"*!    "»>fl 

Jew,  each  sending  forth  their  summons  for  prayer  to  the  faith- 


ST.   PAUL. 


Ill 


fill  :  l)ut  jud^lnf]^  of  pioty  hy  boll-ringing  in  St.  Taul,  it  would 
|»iil,  tlie  I'MsUini  (lovotco  to  slinme. 

From  the  lower  Iniuliiig  of  St.  rnul,  wc  rise  upon  a  bench 
Konie  soveiity-livc  feet  above  the  river,  and  come  upon  the  site 
(•f  the  lower  town,  which  —  with  the  extension  up  the  river  as 
far  as  the  upper  landing,  a  distance  of  three  fourths  of  a  mile, 
Avhere  is  a  most  vigorous  young  town  of  later  growth — com- 
pletes St.  Paul,  the  capital  of  Minnesota.  Retiring  from  the 
lower  town,  about  half  a  mile  northerly,  across  a  plain  which 
ai)pear8  to  have  once  been  the  basin  of  a  lake,  for  it  is  nearly 
walled  in  by  a  bluff  fifteen  feet  high,  we  suddenly  rise  upon  a 
third  bluff  nearly  two  hundred  feet  high,  and  some  three  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  Mississippi.  This  ascent  is  wooded,  and 
so  is  the  region  beyond  for  perhaps  twenty  miles.  From  this 
point  we  overlook  St.  Paul ;  extending  the  vision  down  the 
river  some  twenty  miles,  we  take  within  the  compass  of  the 
eye  a  wide  stretch  of  the  late  Sioux  lands  and  bUiish  hills,  far 
away  up  the  Minnesota  in  the  west. 

To  the  north,  although  the  grounds  descend  from  the  bluff 
for  some  three  miles,  there  are  but  few  objects  of  distinct  out- 
line. After  viewing  a  small  lake,  lying  about  a  mile  to  the 
northwest,  as  a  setting  to  a  border  of  oak-openings,  we  pro- 
ceed through  a  constantly  alternating  succession  of  oak-covered 
knolls,  marshy  dells,  and  around  the  margins  of  small  tama- 
rac  swamps.  These  swamps,  though  dismal,  for  their  size, 
are  the  most  curious  objects  to  the  eye  of  the  stranger  which 
this  region  presents.  The  trees  grow  so  thick,  that  they  choke 
each  other  out  of  the  chance  for  a  subsistence,  or  else  they 
die  a  natural  death  after  a  certain  age,  so  that  they  resemble 
a  scene  of  shipping  in  a  seaport  most  strikingly.  It  is  easy, 
when  in  a  dreamy  mood  of  mind,  to  fancy  these  bare  poles  as 
the  masts  of  some  diluvi.an  squadrons,  which  had  lost  their 
reckoning,  and  finally,  getting  discouraged,  moored  in  the 
mud. 

There  are  no  guide-boards  on  this  road,  and  the  angler  or 
sportsman,  who  can't  parlezf/anfais  M'iih  the  French  residents 
whose  cabins^  nestle  in  some  of  the  sly  retreats  along  the  path, 
may  thank  the  stars  if  he  does  not  get  lost  over  night. 


112 


MINNESOTA    AND   IT8   RESOUUCIiS. 


Tho  rofiflon  is  Hpottcd  all  over,  at  diHtancoH  of  ono  to  throe 
mill's,  with  hrij^lit  and  cool  little  lakcH,  that  uhoiiiul  in  liali  ; 
aiiHMi}^"  which  is  tho  real  White  Mountain  tnmt. 

^J'ho  Hci'ue  over  iho  hlnll"  in  tho  roar  of  tho  upper  town  of 
kSt.  I'aul,  Ih  tin?  (loli^htful  prairie  which  oxtemlH  oil'  about  six 
inih'M  toward  St.  Anthony  I'allH. 

'Iho.  true  (juality  of  tho  Hoil  of  tho  comparatively  chaotio 
landH  in  tho  rear  of  St.  Paul,  Ih,  after  all,  better  than  that  of 
tho  lands  of  AVo.storu  Now  Yjyrk.  It  has  le88  of  tho  black 
alluvion  than  our  landn  generally,  yet  it  is  highly  productive  ; 
and  HO  far  as  experience  has  tested  its  capabilities,  it  does  not 
deproeiato  at  all  by  cropjiing.  It  is  strongly  impregnated 
with  liuu',  and  jiossosses,  in  a  high  degree,  the  active  principlo 
im|)avted  by  a  variety  of  mineral  substances. 

'JMiis  soil  can  bo  made,  by  tho  application  of  manure,  of 
wliieh  an  abundance!  can  bo  had  for  tho  trouble  of  carting  from 
town,  more  jmxiuctive  than  tho  best  river  bottoms.  For  tho 
purpose  of  gardening,  1  am  inclined  to  prefer  it  to  tho  latter; 
and  if  I  was  to  make  a  claim,  I  would  "take  up"  tho  lauds  I 
could  find  unoccupied,  nearest  the  town. 

A  stranger  is  gcuierally  somewhat  astonished  and  not  unfro- 
qucntly  very  nnich  anniscd  at  the  scene  presented  for  con- 
templation on  his  first  arrival  at  tlie  St.  Paul  landing.  Iii 
short,  his  first  impressions  with  regard  to  tho  state  of  society 
hero  are  altogether  inifavorable.  lie  is  welcomed  by  an 
unusual  and  motley  group  of  human  beings,  gatliered  from  all 
parts  of  tho  Union,  the  Canadas,  the  Indian  lands,  and  Pem- 
bina, besides  the  c»iriousIy-mixed-up  race  of  natives.  This  m 
indeed  a  most  peculiar  feature  of  tho  capital  of  Minnofcuia, 
which  in  respect  to  its  inhabitants  differs  materially  fr  v:  y.-^y 
place  I  have  visited  in  the  west.  Being  an  old  settlement  of 
French  and  half-breeds,  and  the  present  sort  of  government 
for  the  territory,  situated  near  the  head  of  navigation  and  con- 
tiguous to  the  Da-' 'ta  land,  a  strange  spectacle  is  often  pre- 
sented, or  stt?i  j^c  I  dp'^d  to  the  uninitiated.  All  the  different 
classes,  howewr,  fKinglo  together,  forming  a  singular  mass, 
variously  habited,  speaking  diff'erent  languages,  and  distin- 
guished by  a  variety  of  complexions,  features,  and  manners. 


*;■ 


1^4. «'L,^,.^  .Ju 


.\ 


FT.    PAFL. 


118 


Yet  nil  tills  npponrs  ((uito  cotntiion,  nnil  oxcitos  no  cnrioHity 
aiiKUi^  tliosn  wild  imvc  icHidcd  lion^  but  a  Utw  rnfojtIiH. 

Hut  liow  (lin"<'i<'nt  tliti  H|)('<'tJulo  nppcnrH  to  the  H'rjingor  ami 
visit(M'.  Chained,  as  it  wero,  hy  a  Hpcll  of  aHtoiitMlmuMit,  lie 
pnusoH  a  iiwniMMit  to  view  tlio  Hccms  lirforc  Hcttiiig  foot  on 
nliorts  to  miii^hi  in  tlio  proniiHCUoiiH  niultitud«.  A  variety  of 
pfMHoiiH  attract  IiIh  att(Mition.  Merchants  in  Hcarch  of  nowly- 
jirrived  g'lods;  editors,  nnxions  for  the  latest  iiewH  ;  citizens, 
re'"  ivinj^  their  lonj^-c^xpeoted  friends  from  the  east  or  south  ; 
cnniKMi  and  coachmen  with  their  teams,  all  indeed  join  in  the 
tmuultnous  strift^  and  enjoy  the  excitement.  A  little  rcmov(Ml 
from  the  crowd  may  ho  seei;  anotiicr  class,  which  hy  the  way  is 
too  numerous,  for  so  small  a  community  as  that  of  St.  l*aul.  'J'his 
is  c(miposed  of  a  host  of  lawyers,  politicians,  office-holders,  and 
olllce-seekers,  Avhom  we  may  perhaps  call  refugees  from  other 
states,  though  actuated  hy  the  hope  of  gaining  some  lionorahlo 
])ositiou  nnd  a  sharci  of  the  public  spoils.  I^hey  are  discussing 
very  boldly,  ])erhn])H,  a  sulijcct  pertaining  to  the  territorial 
government,  or  the  late  doings  of  Congress. 

Amid  the  busy  crowd  may  bo  seen  the  courteous  and 
soclal)lo  governor,  conversing  froely  with  his  follow-citi- 
zens,  or  ])olit(dy  receiving  General  A.,  Colonel  B.,  or  some 
other  distinguished  personnge  just  arrived.  Close  by  the  side 
of  his  excellency  a  Dakota,  Winnebago,  or  Chippewa  warrior 
strides  along  as  boldly  and  quite  as  independent  as  the 
greatest  monarch  on  earth,  lie  is  attired  in  a  red  or  white 
blanket,  with  his  legglns  and  mocassins  fantastically  orna- 
mented with  ribnnds,  feathers,  heads,  &c.,  while  his  long 
braided  hair  is  adorned  with  a  number  of  ribands  and  quills, 
his  face  is  painted  wltli  a  variety  of  colors,  giving  him  a  most 
frightful  appearance.  In  his  hands  he  carries  a  gun,  hatchet, 
and  pipe.  As  the  noble  fellow  moves  along,  so  erect,  so  tall 
and  athletic  in  his  form,  a  feeling  of  admiration  involuntarily 
fills  the  stranger's  mind — he  pronounces  the  Indian  warrior 
tlie  lion  of  the  nniltitude,  and  is  forced  to  respect  his  savage 
nature.  The  eye  follo\v8  him  along  till  lie  joins,  perhaps,  a 
company  of  his  own  tribe,  some  of  whom  are  quietly  regaling 
themselves  at  the  ffnd  of  a  long  Tchandahoopah,  others  gazing 


lU 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


il    r'      i 


\      i 


nt  tho  white  man's  big  canoe.  Now  the  astonished  gazer 
beholds  a  group  of  dark-eyed  squaws,  some  carrying  their 
heavy  burdens,  others  with  papooses  on  their  backs,  with  their 
bare  heads  sticking  above  a  dirty  blanket.  The  little  things 
may  be  sleeping  and  as  the  mothers  walk  carelessly  along, 
their  heads  dangle  about  as  though  their  necks  would  break  at 
every  step.  They  sleep  ^n,  however,  nor  heed  the  scorching 
rays  of  the  sun  shining  in  their  faces. 

The  stranger  having  become  satisfied  with  the  contemplation 
of  such  and  similar  scenes,  at  length  concludes  to  debark,  and 
soon  he  too  becomes  one  of  the  promiscuous  multitude.  He 
soon  forgets  the  oddities  that  so  much  excited  his  curiosity 
among  us.  Though  he  finds  a  great  multitude  of  French  half- 
breeds  and  Dakotas ;  yet  the  character  is  decidedly  eastern. 
The  red  men  who  are  now  so  numerous,  will  ere  long  flee  away 
before  the  influence  ol'  civilization,  while  the  native  French, 
half-breeds,  Sic,  will  be  absorbed  by  an  eastern  society.  In 
short,  everything  is  fast  partaking  of  a  Yankee  spirit,  and 
yielding  before  the  influence  of  Yankee  enterprise. 

Another  writer  thus  impartially  describes  St.  Paul : — 

"  The  town  site  is  high  and  conspicuous,  being  elevated  from 
seventy  to  eighty  feet  above  the  water  at  common  stages.  The 
central  part  embraces  an  extensive  level  plateau,  terminating 
along  the  Mississippi,  in  a  precipitous  bluff*.  This  bluff  after 
running  for  some  distance  recedes  from  the  river  on  the  east 
and  west,  and  by  assuming  a  gradual  ascent,  forms  two  com- 
modious landings,  called  the  upper  and  lower  town,  meeting 
upon  the  elevated  plateau  of  the  central  part.  As  a  natural 
consequence  there  is  a  good  deal  of  strife  between  the  two 
tiections  for  the  ascendency  in  commercial  matters  particularly. 
The  site  upon  wli'ch  the  lower  town  is  mostly  built,  is  several 
feet  below  the  central  and  upper  parts,  and  has  quite  a  sandy 
soil,  while  the  higher  portions  are  on  a  limestone  formation, 
lying  abov^e  the  sandstone. 

"  The  latter  formation  in  many  places  Is  so  soft  that  the 
swallows  make  their  nests  in  the  rock,  as  in  ordinary  sand- 
banks. Much  of  the  sandstone  is  nearly  as  white  as  loaf-sugar, 
and  is  said  to  be  of  a  superior  quality  for  the  manufacturing 


ST.   PAUL. 


115 


of  glass.  These  liigli  rocks  passing  up  far  above  the  water, 
and  displaying  tlieir  snow-white  sides  to  view,  form  a  peculiar 
and  exceedingly  beautiful  feature  iu  the  scenery  of  the  Upper 
JMississippi. 

"  In  the  rear  of  St  Paul,  or  on  the  north,  rises  another  bluflP, 
or  line  of  hills,  which  encircles  the  town  site,  in  the  shape  of 
an  amphitheatre,  bending  gradually  until  they  approach  quite 
near  the  river  again  toward  Fort  Snelling  on  the  southwest, 
and  to'vard.  Lake  Pepin  on  the  southeast.  These  smooth  and 
beautiful  hills  extending  from  one  half  a  mile  to  upward  of  two 
miles  from  the  toAvn,  afford  many  most  delightful  situations  for 
country-scats  and  farms.  From  these  elevations,  an  extensive 
view  is  afforded  of  the  surrounding  country,  particularly  of  the 
toAvn  below,  and  land  of  the  Dakotas  beyond  the  Mississippi. 
Far  away  to  the  south  and  southeast,  the  Father  of  Waters  is 
seen  rolling  his  silent  tide  majestically  along,  guarded  on  either 
side  by  rock-bound  bluffs  and  hills.  Indeed  we  seem  to 
behold  even  now,  through  the  dim  vista  of  future  years,  the 
gHt*^ering  mansions  of  St.  Paul's  merchant-princes  rising  up  in 
every  direction,  on  these  hills  now  iu  the  state  of  nature  or 
rudely  adorned  by  the  humble  chaumiere  of  the  French  and 
half-breeds,  or  the  simple  lodges  of  the  noble  Sioux. 

'*  There  is  one  serious  objection  to  the  back-grounds  of  St. 
Paul,  at  present,  though  in  time,  it  will  doubtless  form  a  great 
blessing.  A  great  many  springs  of  *  pure  cold  water'  are  con- 
tinually gushing  from  the  base  of  the  above-mentioned  hills, 
farming  several  bad  marshes,  and  rendering  an  access  to  many 
of  the  choice  situations  rather  difficult.  Good  roads  will  soon 
be  constructed  over  these  wet  places,  while  the  water  supplied 
by  the  living  fountains,  can  easily  be  brought  in  town.  There 
are  also  several  small  lakes  in  the  vicinity  supplied  by  springs, 
and  situated  much  higher  than  St.  Paul,  which  can  be  made 
to  supply  a  large  city  with  excellent  water.  In  short  the 
place  has  many  natural  advantages  for  a  great  town." 

Every  day  makes  it  clearer,  that  St.  Paul  is  destined  to  more 
importance  as  a  city  than  the  most  sanguine  have  dared  to 
anticipate.  Not  only  has  our  town  already  become,  in  the 
four  short  years  of  its  existence,  the  emporium  of  trade  for 


.1 

1! 


116 


MINNESOTA   ANT)   ITS   RESOURCES. 


all  tlmt  vnst  area  of  coiuitiy  above  us,  extending  from  the  shore 
of  Lake  Superior  to  the  licad  waters  of  the  ]\Iissouri  —  a  trade 
yet  limited,  to  be  sure,  by  reason  of  tlie  sparseness  of  the 
])t)pulation,  but  hourly  increasing,  and  which  must  soon  become 
incalculably  great ;  but  there  will  be  soon  a  fresh  impulse  given 
it,  by  the  settlement  of  Jiose  matchless  lands  inhabited  jy  the 
Sitiux  Indians,  lands  of  vast  extent  as  well  as  fertility,  watered 
by  the  Minnesota  river  and  its  tributaries.  Standing  at  the 
steamboat  head  of  the  Mississippi,  the  main  artery,  nay  the 
rnily  artery,  north  and  south,  through  the  continent  of  North 
America,  it  can  have  no  rival,  no  competitor  for  the  business 
of  those  regions  of  which  it  is  already  the  focus.  Our  line  of 
business  is  essentially  with  the  north  and  the  south,  the  east 
and  the  west,  turning,  as  it  were  upon  a  pivot,  on  this,  the  head 
of  steamboat  navigation  ;  and  from  this  point  there  will  in 
time  radiate  railroads,  to  connect  here  with  steamboats,  in 
various  directions.  But  there  is  a  probability,  nay  more  than 
a  probability,  that  a  plan  of  internal  improvements  will  be 
executed  by  the  British  government,  which  will  hasten  the 
development  and  growth  of  St.  Paul  beyond  all  parallel.  I 
refer  to  the  contemplated  construction  of  a  line  of  railroad 
from  Halifax,  in  Nova  Scotia,  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  north  of 
Lake  Superior.  The  construction  of  that  road  Avould  imme- 
diately require  the  construction  of  a  railroad  from  St.  Paul  to 
intersect  it.  The  chain  of  lakes  would  prevent  its  intersection 
east  of  us,  besides  that  here  the  steamboat  approximates 
nearest  to  it — the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  being,  on  every 
account,  the  proper  line  of  connection  with  it.  The  whole  of 
the  intercourse  of  the  southern  and  western  states  with  Oregon, 
nay,  with  California,  would  take  this  route  ;  all  the  emigration 
and  immigration,  probably  all  the  trade  of  those  states  with 
China,  Japan,  and  the  East  Indies  in  short,  would  take  this 
route  ;  and  there  would  not  be  a  busier  transhipment  city  than 
St.  Paul  on  this  continent.  If,  already,  it  has  come  to  be 
known  that  this  very  roiite  to  the  Pacific  is  not  only  shorter, 
cheaper,  healthier,  and  far  better  than  any  one  south  of  it  —  if, 
as  we  know,  St.  Paul  has  already  become  a  place  of  outfit 
for  companies  migrating  to  Oregon,  without  railroads — what 


I 


k 


fff 


ST.    PAUL. 


IIT 


may  we  expect  to  see  when  the  traveller  from  New  Orleans, 
who  lands  here,  may  be  whirled  here  npon  a  continuous 
raih-oad,  through  the  high,  healthful,  romantic  ranges  of  the 
buft'alo,  along  the  northern  verge  of  the  temperate  zone,  to  the 
bhie  Pacific ! 

The  route  from  Halifax  to  Fuca  strrits,  opposite  to  Van- 
couver's island,  has  been  ascertained  to  be  quite  as  feasible  as 
the  route  proposed  from  Lake  Michigan  to  Puget's  sound,  and  a 
very  large  part  of  the  country  is  the  finest  wheat  country  in 
the  world.  The  distance  would  vary  but  little  from  that  of 
our  route — while  from  London  to  Chhia  It  would  be  consider- 
ably less  than  ours.  By  measuring  a  globe,  it  will  be  seen 
that  Lake  Huron  is  less  distant  from  London  than  New  York 
from  London  ;  and  as  Lake  Superior  is  but  six  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  elevation  above  the  Atlantic,  a  railroad  from  Halifax 
to  Lake  Superior  might  be  constructed  on  almost  a  dead  level. 
This  would  enable  England  to  transport  all  the  produce  of  the 
Mississippi  basin  to  Halifax,  at  a  much  less  cost  than  to  any 
Atlantic  city.  Besides,  Halifax  is  much  nearer  to  Europe, 
and  would  avoid  the  storms  and  dangers  of  navigation  between 
Halifax  and  New  York.  An  examination  of  this  subject  will 
show  that,  should  England  build  the  road,  she  will  not  only 
have  a  great  advantage  over  us,  but  would  control  us  and  the 
world  :  for  it  is  her  commerce  with  Asia,  and  not  ours,  which 
must  sustain  the  road. 

The  route  for  such  railroad  connection  would  he  nearly  or 
quite  due  north  from  St.  Paul,  following  the  chain  of  small 
lakes  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  touching  the  Avestern 
shores  of  Mille  Lac  and  Sandy  lake,  a  route  not  only  practi- 
cable, but  highly  favorable  for  a  railroad,  nearly  level,  and 
requiring  less  grading  than  almost  any  other  route  that  could 
be  found  on  this  continent ;  and  the  whole  distance  from  St. 
Paul  to  the  dividing  ridge  north  of  Lake  Superior,  along 
Avhich  the  British  railroad  will  be  extended,  between  Halifax 
and  Puget's  sound,  is  less  than  four  hundred  miles.  It  will  by 
1)0  means  be  necessary  that  the  road  from  St.  Paul  should  be 
extended  to  Pembina,  which  is  much  too  far  west,  and  a  much 
more  distant  point  for  connection,  although  the  face  of  the 


118 


minnp:sota  and  its  kesoukoes. 


country  to  Pembina  is  entirely  practicable  for  the  construction 
of  a  railroad. 

Tliat  the  northern  route  to  Oregon  will  soon  be  tlic  route  for 
all  northern  emigration  (railroad  or  no  raikoad),  is  a  certain 
event  ;  and  the  very  next  season  will  make  St.  Paul  an  im- 
portant point  for  outfits  to  the  Pacific. 

The  railroad  survey  by  the  United  States  government,  from 
St.  Paul  to  Puget's  sound,  is  treated  of  hereafter.  Whether 
our  government  constructs  that  road  or  not,  I  consider  it  cer- 
tain that  England  will  complete  the  one  described  above  ere 
many  years,  and  St.  Paul  tlius  be  the  tlioronglifare  from  our 
eastern  cities  to  the  Pacific.     . 

Without  going  so  far  back  as  the  early  part  of  1847,  to  note 
the  few  rude  trading  cabins  or  tamarac  logs,  which  marked  the 
present  site  of  St.  Paul  (then  flourishing  under  the  unpoetic 
soubriquet  of  "  Pig's  Eye"),  I  will  commence  picking  up  "inci- 
dents" about  the  middle  of  that  year.  Then  it  was  that  the 
"squatters"  upon  the  public  lands  which  mark  the  site  of  St. 
Paul  proper,  conceived  the  idea  of  laying  out  a  town  there- 
upon. The  names  of  those  who  were  then  sole  "  proprietors," 
barring  Uncle  Sam's  prior  lien,  are  :  Vetal  Guerin,  Alex.  R. 
M'Leod,  Henry  Jackson,  Hartshorn  &  Randall,  Louis  Roberts, 
Benjamin  Gervais,  David  Farribault,  A.  L.  Larpenteur,  J.  W. 
Simpson,  and  J.  Dcmarrais.  These  worthy  pioneers  are  all 
yet  living  —  living  in  exemplification  of  the  old  truism,  that 
the  first  settlers  of  a  new  country  generally  live  and  die  the 
poorest  men  in  it.  One  or  two  of  them,  who  appear  likely  to 
escape  this  apparently  predestined  fate,  only  stand  as  monu- 
ments of  exception  to  prove  the  verity  of  the  rule.  All  had 
an  unequal  interest  in  that  portion  of  the  present  capital  of 
Minnesota,  embraced  in  the  area  extending  from  about  half 
way  between  Sibley  and  Jackson  streets,  up  to  St.  Peter's 
street,  and  from  the  river  back  to  Eighth  street.  This  they 
employed  Ira  B.  Brunson,  of  Prairie  du  Chicn,  to  lay  off  into 
town  lots,  during  tlie  month  of  July,  1847  —  little  dreaming 
that  in  less  than  five  years  it  would  prove  tlie  nucleus,  around 
whici!  would  concentrate  the  future  commercial  and  tiolitical 
metropolis  of  a  mighty  commonwealth — the  heart  of  that 


BT.   PAUL. 


119 


northwestern  emporium,  which  is  to  give  pulsation  and  life- 
blood  to  the  northern  giant  of  the  Mississippi  valley. 

"  St.  Paul"  it  was  named,  from  the  parish  name  of  the  cath- 
olic church  which  had  been  organized  six  years  previous.  No 
visible  signs  of  its  future  greatness  became  manifest  during 
that  or  the  succeeding  year,  if  we  except  the  land  sales  at  the 
falls  of  St.  Crf  in  August  of  1848,  at  which  time  the  propri- 
etors proved  up  their  pre-emptions,  and  procured  titles  from 
the  government.  This  year  the  old  warehouse  at  the  lower 
landing,  now  occupied  by  Constans  &  Burbank,  was  erected, 
and  the  building  at  the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Third,  lately 
occupied  by  George  Wells,  remodelled  from  a  rude  cabin  into 
what  was  then  considered  a  spacious  and  commodious  hotel. 
Mr.  Bass  made  the  improvement,  and  was  the  first  landlord. 
Mr.  Larpenteur's  dwelling-house,  on  the  opposite  corner,  was 
built  the  same  year  ;  also  Mr.  Hopkins's  store,  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  same  streets. 

John  R.  Irvine  held  and  entered  the  «'  claim"  on  the  river 
immediately  above  the  town  plot.     He  had  not  thought  much 
of  it— merely  occupying  it  as  a  residence,  with  a  few  acres 
adjacent  to  his  dwelling  under  cultivation,  which  supplied  the 
wants  of  his  family.     The  keen,  speculative  eye  of  Henry  M. 
Rice,   first   conceived  the  idea   of  laying   off  the  extensive 
plateau  embraced  in   the  claim  of  Irvine,   and  immediately 
adjacent   to    St.  Paul,   into   an   "  addition"    thereto.      Rice 
"  bought  in"  with  Irvine  ;  and  in  the  winter  of  1848-'49— just 
before  the  passage  of  the  act  by  Congress  organizing  the  terri- 
tory—their addition  was  divided  into  lots.     The  mere  fact, 
that  a  man  of  the  known  e  ergy  and  enterprise  of  Rice  had 
taken  hold  of  St.  Paul,  infused  new  life  into  the  place,  and  it 
soon  had  a  name,  even  beyond  tho  limits  of  the  neighboring 
regions.     This  name  was  sent  far  and  Avide  over  the  country 
when,  through  the  patriotic  perseverance  and  devoted  zeal  of 
Henry  H.  Sibley,  the  organic  act,  naming  St.  Paul  as  the 
temporary  capital,  passed  both  houses  of  Congress,  and  was  ap- 
proved by  the  president  on  the  third  of  March,  1849. 

Other  "  additions"  rapirllvmnlfmli'ofJ       ftrr-itl!  n--'  T171.:x ._. 

(Hon.  Robert  Smith,  of  Alton,  Illinois,  and  Cornelius  S.Whit- 


m   \s    'T 


!i  fit 


120 


MINNESOTA    AND    ITS   KESOUKCES. 


iiey,  at  tlie  time  Imul-office  receiver  at  St.  Croix  Falls)  was 
laid  oil'  in  April  of  tlie  same  year,  aiul  Hoyt's  in  May.  Sam- 
uel Leecli,  land  office  register  at  St.  Croix  Falls,  not  to  be  out- 
done by  his  fellow-officer,  had  laid  off',  in  August  of  that  year, 
the  "addition"  which  bears  his  name.  In  1850,  Guerin  and 
13azil's,  Randall  and  Roberts's,  and  Patterson's  additions,  were 
laid  off.  The  following  year  came  Winslow's,  Kittson's,  Willes', 
and  Irvine's  enlargement.  In  1852,  we  had  Bass's,  Brunson's, 
Baker's,  and  Winslow's  (No.  2).  And  now  the  compass  is  upon 
a  strip  of  land  between  Selby's  and  Rice's  farms,  making  town 
lots  under  the  title  of  "  Irvine  and  Ramsey's  new  addition." 
There  are  other  small  additions,  perhaps,  which  have  been 
made  at  various  times,  not  noted,  because  of  their  insignifi- 
cance. All  alluded  to  are  important  parts  of  St.  Paul  as  it 
now  is. 

In  June,  1853,  John  Esaias  Warren,  Esq.,  recently  of  Troy, 
New  York,  bought  out  the  half  of  Winslow's  addition  in  the 
lower  toAvn,  and  it  is  now  known  as  "  Warren  and  Winslow's 
cottage  addition."  Its  location  is  admirably  adapted  for  build- 
ing nice,  comfortable  residences  in  the  shape  of  cottages  ornee, 
with  all  the  romance  of  scenery,  &c. 

Perhaps,  now  that  her  fate  is  decided,  and  her  high  destiny 
as  the  great  commercial,  social,  religious,  educational,  and  po- 
litical emporium  of  the  northwest  unalterably  fixed,  it  would 
matter  little  whether  St.  Paul  remained  the  capital  or  not. 
But  it  did  matter,  and  very  essentially  too,  at  the  time  the 
infant  struggle  took  place  to  secure  this  advantage.  W^ithout 
it  she  would  never  have  been  able  to  hold  the  confidence  of 
those  who  had  labored  most  for  her,  or  attract  the  attention  of 
people  then  far  away,  who  have  since  become  part  and  parcel 
of  her  most  active  bones  and  sinews. 

Until  the  contest  for  the  capital,  and  consequent  centre  of 
political  power,  was  decided  in  favor  of  St.  Paul,  shrewd  and 
calculating  men  looked  upon  her  as  no  "  sure  tiling."  It  is 
true  her  advantages  of  position  commercially  would  always 
have  made  her  a  place  of  considerable  note.  It  is  this  latter, 
added  to  the  former,  which  has  made  her  what  she  is,  and  se- 
cured to  her  that  which  she  is  destined  to  be.     Neither  could 


^iiili.^ 


ST.    PAUL. 


121 


have  accomplished  the  work  separately.  To  name  one  fatal 
disadvantage,  had  there  been  no  capital  here,  St.  Paul  would 
have  been  deprived  of  the  immense  benefits  of  her  newspaper 
press,  those  main  arteries  of  her  present  healthful  life.  At 
least,  not  more  than  one  would  have  been  able  to  live  here, 
and  til  at  in  a  condition  so  weakly  and  sickly  that  its  wheezing 
and  consumptive  echoes  would  have  fallen  far  short  of  sending 
forth  her  just  meed  of  praise  and  advantage  in  the  full  and 
clear-toned  clarion-notes  whicli  have  been  borne  on  every 
breeze  throughout  the  land.  But  the  moment  it  was  decided 
that  St.  Paul  was  to  be  the  political  as  well  as  the  commercial 
centre  of  Minnesota,  new  life  and  energy  were  infused  into 
every  limb  and  muscle  of  her  body.  She  arose  and  robed  lier- 
seif  in  the  habiliments  of  strong,  determined,  youthful  vigor, 
and  started  fairly  and  fully  upon  her  march  to  future  great- 
ness. Slip  had  passed  the  ordeal.  From  that  hour  she  was  to 
go  forward  — never  look  back.  Property  immediately  ad- 
vanced more  than  two  hundred  per  cent.  Those  who  had 
stood  back,  fearful  to  invest,  came  into  the  front  ranks,  and 
gave  their  means  to  the  improvement  and  building  up  of  St. 
Paul.  Persons  from  abroad  flocked  in  and  invested  liberally ; 
and  there  was  never  any  more  doubt  as  to  the  future.  No 
one,  from  that  day  to  this,  has  felt  any  fears  of  the  result. 

Nothing  will  better  partially  illustrate  the  steady  and  healthy 
advance  of  St.  Paul  as  an  important  mart  of  trade  and  com- 
merce, than  the  increase  in  the  number  of  steamboat  arrivals 
from  year  to  year.  The  number  of  arrivals,  in  1848,  was  47 ; 
in  1849,  73;  in  1850,  104;  in  1851,  119;  in  1852,  171.  But, 
as  remarked,  although  this  is  a  good  illustration  of  our  steady 
increase  commercially,  it  is  only  a  partial  one.  Were  there 
any  means  of  getting  at  the  comparative  increase  in  the  amount 
oi  freight  which  has  been  shipped  to  this  port  from  below  du- 
ring the  past  five  years,  I  could  find  therein  more  nearly  cor- 
rect data.  This  I  have  not.  I  will  therefore  state  some  ob- 
servations and  incidents  unsupported  by  figures. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1849,  the  mercantile  business  consisted 
of-^L.  Roberts's  store,  at  the  lower  landing;  Freeman,  Lar- 
peuteur,  &  Co.'s,  same  place  ;  Henry  Jackson,  just  ch 


6 


ig  out, 


122 


MINNICSOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


in  liis  old  house  at  the  top  of  the  Lhiff;  W.  11.  Forhes,  St.  Paul 
outfit,  Bench,  between  Jackson  anil  Roberts  streets;  J.  W. 
Simpson,  next  door ;  and  the  small  Indian  trading  establish- 
ment of  Ohnsted  &  Rhodes,  on  Third  street,  in  the  old  cabin 
which  was  recently  removed  to  give  place  to  the  handsome 
new  store  of  Mr.  Chamblin.  This  completed  the  lower  town. 
Then  you  travelled  over  an  extensive  corn  and  potato  field  to 
a  little  clump  of  shanties  and  balloon-frames  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  "American  house."  Here  was  Levi  Sloan,  upon 
his  present  site,  with  a  small  stock  ;  and  next  above  the  Amer- 
ican were  the  Messrs.  Fuller,  with  a  somewhat  larger  assort- 
ment. This  was  all.  The  capital  invested  in  merchandise  in 
the  entire  town  couhl  not  have  amounted  to  over  forty  thou- 

eand  dollars. 

The  Fur  Company  did  a  very  limited  business  here  at  that 
time.  Their  centre  was  at  Mendota,  where  both  Mr.  Sibley 
and  Mr.  Rice  —  the  then  prominent  members  of  the  Chouteau 
firm  in  this  part  of  the  country— resided  and  did  business. 
The  frame  of  the  "American  house"  was  just  up.  In  a  few 
weeks  the  room  in  the  extreme  east  end  of  the  building  was 
finished  off  for  a  store,  and  was  stocked  and  opened  by  Mr. 
Rice,  who  had  charge  of  that  branch  of  the  Fur  Company's 
business  known  as  the  "  Winnebago  and  Chippewa  outfits." 
During  the  summer  Mr.  Rice  erected  the  then  extensive  store 
and  warehouse  near  the  upper  landing,  now  occupied  by  the 
Messrs.  Fuller.  When  he  opened  (in  the  month  of  August), 
his  shelves  presented  much  the  largest  stock  ever  previously 
seen  in  St.  Paul.  Many  people  prophesied  that  there  were 
more  goods  in  that  establishment  than  would  be  sold  in  St. 

Paul  in  five  years. 

Late  in  the  fall,  the  Messrs.  Elfelt  arrived  from  Philadel- 
phia, with  a  very  heavy  stock  of  goods,  and  opened  in  the 
place  vacated  by  Mr.  Rice.  They  were  another  exemplifica- 
tion of  extreme  verdancy  in  the  minds  of  immoveable  croakers. 
Other  smaller  establishments  had  risen  into  existence  during 
the  summer  and  fall;  and,  at  the  close  of  navigation,  perhaps 
there  were  sixty  thousand  dollars  invested  in  legitimate  mer- 
cantile trade  in  St.  Paul. 


ST.    PAUL.  123 

This,  be  it  remembered,  was  three  years  and  six  months 
ngo.  I  have  endeavored  to  compile  an  estimate,  as  accurately 
as  time  and  circumstances  would  admit,  of  the  present  amount 
of  capital  invested  in  merchandise  in  our  go-ahead  young  city 
(1853).  I  include  in  the  calculation  goods  to  arrive  early  after 
the  opening  of  navigation  : — 

Dry  goods $100,000 

Groceries 83,000 

Assorted  inevohnndise 100,000 

Clotliing,  including  hats,  caps,  «fec 30,000 

Boots  and  shoes 10,000 

Hardware ; ^ 5,000 

Farming  implements 8,000 

Books  and  stationery 12,000 

Drugs,  paints,  oils,  glass,  <fec 12,000 

Iron  and  niiils 20,000 

Miscellaneous 10,000 

$390,000 
Add  capital  invested  in  Indian  trade,  government 

contracts,  Ac,  the  centre  of  which  is  at  St  Paul . .    400,000 

$790,000 

This  is  not  far  from  the  mark.  Added  to  this,  lumber,  man- 
ufactured at  other  places  than  St.  Paul,  to  the  value  of  about 
forty  thousand  dollars,  has  been  disposed  of  at  this  point  the 
past  year.  The  amount  of  provisions,  grain,  and  country  prod- 
uce generally,  raised  in  the  territory,  and  disposed  of  in  the 
St.  Paul  market  the  past  year,  there  are  no  means  of  arriving 
at.  If  our  merchants  would  pay  attention  to  this  matter,  and. 
keep  accurate  statistics  in  relation  thereto,  that  the  same  might 
be  published  from  time  to  time,  they  would  do  themselves  as 
well  as  the  countiy  a  great  benefit. 

A  large  share  of  the  trade  of  St.  Paul  is  already  a  whole- 
sale business.  Our  merchants  the  past  winter  have  supplied 
many  of  the  traders  in  the  smaller  towns,  who  have  heretofore 
purchased  at  Galena.  They  also  have  supplied  Benton  county 
and  the  numerous  settlements  and  towns  springing  up  in  the 
valley  of  the  Minnesota.  This  is  a  branch  of  business  that  is 
hereafter  bound  to  increase  with  great  rapidity  as  the  country- 
above  and  west  of  us  fills  up. 

The  extent  of  both  branches  of  mechanics  and  manufactures 


>'\H. 


n^^'' 


12i 


MINNFSOTA    AND   ITS    RKS0URCK9. 


is  hnrd  to  {^ct  at  accurately  in  so  new  and  rapidly-clianging  a 
place  as  this.  Carpenters  and  joiners  arc,  of  course,  the  most 
numerous  branches  of  mechanics.  Of  these,  there  are  from 
one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred,  all  most  of  the  time  ac- 
tively employed  at  their  business.  Bricklayers  and  plasterers, 
painters  and  glaziers,  and  all  the  various  branches  incident  to 
the  great  leading  business  of  building,  entc  largely  into  our 
population,  and  bear  equal  proportion  to  the  departments  first 
named.  Let  us  get  at  nearly  the  extent  of  our  manufacturing 
capital : — 

Three  steam  sawmills,  with  nn  investment  in  ma- 
chinery nnd  stock $100,000 

One  floiiiingmill •. 12,000 

One  sash,  door,  and  blind  nmnufttctory,  planing-ma- 

chine  uttacliod 10,000 

One  iron-foundry  and  mnehino-sliop 8,000 

Throe  stove  and  tin-wnre  establishments 8,000 

One  plough  and  farming-implement  manufactory. .  8,000 

Four  wiigon  and  carriage  manufactories 8,000 

Blflcksmith-shops,  not  enumerated,  say 5,000 

Cabinet-ware  and  furniture,  two 9,000 

Boot  and  shoe  manufactories,  say 5,000 

SnddlfS  and  harness 5,000 

Bakers  and  confectioners,  four 4,000 

Miscellaneous. 5,000 

$1*77,000 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  we  have  in  this  rising  frontier  me- 
tropolis, containing  only,  at  the  outside,  a  population  of  five 
thousand,  investments  in  mercantile  and  manufacturing  trans- 
actions to  the  amount  of  nearly  one  million  dollars  !  This  is, 
of  course,  all  outside  the  value  of  real  estate,  buildings,  public 
and  private,  personal  property,  &;c.  Some  of  these  manufac- 
tories are  quite  extensive,  particularly  our  sawmills,  which  will 
readily  be  perceived  by  the  amount  of  capital  it  requires  to 
carry  them  on.  The  lower  mill,  owned  by  Messrs.  Oakes  &; 
Co.,  is  a  model  of  its  kind,  as  well  as  a  good  indicator  of  our 
rise  and  continued  progress  in  the  way  of  manufacturing.  "  It 
will  make  any  man  think  more  of  St.  Paul  to  take  a  '  look' 
through  this  mill."  It  now  runs  two  upright  saws,  one  circu- 
lar, one  cross-cut  circular,  and  three  lath  saws.  A  shingle-saw 
and  plauiug-machine  will  be  attached  upon  tUe  opening  of 


BT.   PAUL. 


125 


navigation.  Tliovo  is  also  a  tuining-lntlie  attnclied.  This  mill 
is  capuhh'.  of  cutting  twenty  tliousnnd  A-et  of  Innibcr  and  ten 
tluMisjind  lath  in  twenty-four  liours.  The  mill  near  the  upper 
landing  runs  one  npright  and  one  circular  saw.  It  is  an  excel- 
lent little  "machine,"  and  turns  out  ten  thousand  feet  in  twen- 
ty-four hours.  In  the  same  neighborhood  is  the  mill  of  John 
II.  Irvine,  having  the  same  number  and  character  of  saws,  with 
shingle  and  lath  machines  added.  It  docs  about  an  equal 
amount  of  business  in  the  way  of  cutting  lumber.  A  fourth 
saw-mill  is  in  process  of  erection  at  Dayton's  bluff,  by  Messrs. 
Ames  &  Co.  I  have  not  included  the  investment  of  capital  in 
this  new  mill  in  our  estimate. 

Next  in  importance  in  the  way  of  manufactories  is  the  sash, 
door,  and  blind  establishment  of  Wise  and  Gise,  situated  on 
the  second  bench,  near  the  catholic  church.  It  is  also  driven 
by  steam.  They  have  all  the  'late  improvements  in  this 
branch  of  manufactures ;  and,  with  planing-mill  attached,  they 
convert  rough  pine  boards  into  beautiful  and  substantial  doors, 
sash,  and  blinds,  with  remarkable  rapidity,  and,  of  course,  at 
much  cheaper  rates  than  these  articles  can  be  made  by  hand. 
In  the  lower  department  of  their  establishment  they  have  ex- 
tensive machinery  for  grinding  and  polishing  plough  mould- 
boards  and  shares,  hoes,  axes,  and  other  articles  of  agricultural 
cutlery.  It  would  make  any  one  think  still  more  of  St.  Paul 
to  take  a  look  through  this  establishment. 

The  St.  Paul  iron  foundry  and  machine  shop,  situated  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  lower  saw-mill,  i;.  a  new  branch  of  manu- 
facturing among  us,  having  gone  into  operation  during  the 
past  winter.  It  is  the  first  establishment  of  the  kind  above 
Galena.  All  descriptions  of  castings,  for  machinery  or  other 
purposes,  are  now  turned  out.  The  business  is  yet  in  its  in- 
fancy, but  will  be  increased  as  rapidly  as  custom  and  facilities 
afford. 

The  number  of  buildings  at  present  in  St.  Paul  is  about  six 
hundred  (exclusive  of  stables  and  other  out-houses),  which 
may  be  classed  as  follows  : — 

Dwcnings,  ofllccs,  aud  shops 51^ 

Maaufactories  and  business  houses 70 


126 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOrRCEB. 


.»-«»>  ^wnt 


Clmrcli<'« fl 

}l,>\vU 4 

SolioullioiiHft*,  (Mihliu  nnd  private 4 

(\nirt  lioimo  hihI  juil 2 

t'ii|>itol 1 

Amount 604 

There  is  not  iucliulctl  iii  this  count  any  Luilding  now  in 
process  of  erection  tlint  is  not  ready  for  the  roof.  The  num- 
ber not  of  this  class  —  thofie  ah'eady  commenced  and  those 
contemplated  —  would  swell  the  aggregate  at  least  forty. 
Among  the  better  class  soon  to  be  erected,  is  the  second 
prcsbytcrian  church,  and  the  Baldwin  school  edifice.  The 
former  is  to  be  the  largest  and  most  imposing  church  edifice 
yet  built  in  St.  Paul.  It  will  be  of  brick,  with  a  lofty  spire, 
and  is  to  stand  on  the  elevation  a  short  distance  east  of  the 
capitol.  The  old  "  public  square,"  originally  platted  in  Ilice 
and  Irvine's  addition,  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  the  methodist 
church,  is  about  to  be  vacated  by  the  town  as  a  site  for  the 
Baldwin  school.  This  school  is  to  be  a  female  academy  of  a 
high  order,  and  takes  its  name  from  a  munificent  endowment 
by  a  gentleman  of  Philadelphia.  An  act  incorporating  the 
institution  and  appointing  a  board  of  trustees,  was  j^assed  dur- 
ing the  late  session  of  our  legislative  assembly.  I  have  seen 
a  proposed  plan  of  the  building,  which,  if  adopted,  will  raise 
up  an  edifice  that,  aside  from  its  great  prospective  usefulness, 
will  be  a  beautiful  and  highly  imposing  ornament  to  our  city. 
The  new  hotel,  at  the  corner  of  Eagle  and  Fort  streets,  the 
foundation  of  which  is  already  laid,  may  be  noted  as  one  of 
the  most  important  and  elegant  buildings  that  will  beautify 
and  improve  the  exterior  of  St.  Paul  this  season.  But  for  un- 
fortuitous  circumstances,  this  building  would  have  been  erected 
and  finished  last  season.  The  delay  has,  perhaps,  been  all 
for  the  better.  The  building  will  now  bo  much  larger  than 
was  originally  contemplated,  and  of  brick. 

^^"'"'  iiawfcW?^-^^  '^^^'^  y^'*'  ^  large  proportion  of  the  build- 
ings erected  have  been  of  brick.  The  disposition  to  indulge 
in  cultivating  this  good  taste  is  rapidl}  u  the  increase.  Those 
who  are  able  and  ready  to  build,  are  beginning  to  find  there  is 
economy  iu  erecting,  at  the  outset,  safe,  permanent,  comfort- 


ij 


ST.    PAUL.  127 

nlilo,  and  tnfltcful  (bvolllnps  nnd  fitnrclionscs.  Tbcro  is  nbout 
tlio  city  munerouH  piles  ol'  hiick  niul  sand,  wliidi  will  shortly 
rise  into  stately  walls,  to  add  niatiTlully  to  tlio  substantial 
biisiiiess  aiipcaranco  of  the  place,  and  to  relievo  the  eyo  from 
the  monotonous  lines  of  pine  weatlicr-boarding,  daubed  with 
white  lead. 

From  the  outset,  tlio  moans  of  grace  have  been  abundant  in 
St.  Paul.     If  she  should   over  go  down  to  a  degraded  end, 
through  sin  and  infamy,  it  will  not  be  the  fault  of  the  various 
religious  institutions  and  denominations  of  our  common  coun- 
try, or  the  want  of  faithful  and  zealous  ministers  sent  here  to 
instruct  her.     The   catholic  church  was  the  first  to  organize 
here.     The  first  organization  took  place  in  1811,  and  shortly 
after  the  log  house  of  worship  yet  standing  on  Bench,  between 
Minnesota  and  Cedar  streets,  was  erected.     The  older  society 
at  Mendota  being  called  the  church  of  St.  Peter,  the  one  here 
took  the  name  in  contradistinction  of  the  great  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles — St.  Paul.     This  gave  name  to  the  town;  and  it  is 
but  an  act  of  simple  justice  to  state,  that  to  the  good  taste  of 
the  catholic  clergy  are  wo  indebted  for  the  excommunication 
of  the  outrageous  cognomen  of  "Pig's  Eye,"  which    in  its 
flight  from  our  high  and  salubrious  bluffs,  found  no  resting- 
place  until  it  reached  an  entanglement  of  sloughs,  marshes, 
and  mosquito  dons,  some  miles  below.     In  May,  1849,  a  largo 
and  devout  congregation  worshiiiped  in  the  log  church,  under 
tlie  care  of  the  Rev.  :R[r.  Ravoux,  a  faithful  and  zealous  man. 
The  following  year,  :Rrinnesota  was  set  off  as  a  bishopric,  Avith 
the  seat  at  St.  Paul;  Father  Cretin,  of  Dubuque,  was  ordained 
bishop,  and  arrived  here  in  the  spring  of  1851.     During  that 
year  the  brick  building,  at  present  used  as  a  church  edifice, 
was  erected.     It  was  originally  designed  for  a  college,  and 
will  be  so  used  after  the  erection  of  the  contemplated  cathe- 
dral.    This  latter  building  will  be  upon  a  magnificent  scale. 
Funds  are   now  being  raised  for  its   commencement.      The 
catholic  church  of  St.  Paul  now  numbers    about  eight  hun- 
dred communicants,  mostly  of  Canadian,  French,  and  Irish 
extraction. 
The  first  protestant  church  organization  in  St.  Paul  was  the 


128 


MINNESOTA    AND    ITS    RKSOUKCKS. 


li    I 


motlioclist  opiscopal.  It  ^  ^is  organized  on  tli'^  31st  of  Decem- 
ber, 1848,  by  Rev.  B.  Close,  noAV  of  Oregon,  and  numbered  at 
•t}ie  time  eight  members.  The  following  summer,  the  present 
brick  church  edifice  of  this  congregation  was  erected.  It  was 
the  first  brick  church  in  the  territory  —  Ilev.  Mr.  Neill's  dwel- 
ling being  the  first  brick  building  of  any  kind.  There  are  now 
seventy-three  members  in  communion,  and  the  rhurch  is  well  at- 
tended on  the  sabbath-day.  Rev.  Messrs.  Stevens,  Dickens,  and 
Fullerton,  have  at  different  periods  officiated  as  ministers  in 
charge.  Rev.  Chancey  Hobart  has  been  the  presiding  elder 
of  this  district  from  the  time  the  territory  was  organized,  and 
still  holds  the  position,  much  beloved  and  respected  by  Chris- 
tians of  all  denominations,  as  well  as  his  neighbors  outside  the 
church. 

Rev.  E.  D.  Neill,  missionary  of  the  presbyterian  church,  N. 
S.,  arrived  here  in  April,  1840,  he  having  been  assigned  this 
post  by  the  general  assembly  of  his  church.  He  instantly  set 
about  his  work  with  that  commendable  and  earnest  zea^  which 
characterizes  him  in  everything  he  undertakes.  He  labored 
upon  each  sabbath-day  in  the  (then)  only  schoolhouse  in  the 
village,  until  he  could  build,  mostly  at  his  own  expense,  a 
temporary  place  of  worship  near  his  dwelling.  In  this,  the 
first  presbyterian  congregation  was  organized  on  the  1st  Jan- 
uary, 1850.  It  consisted  of  only  seven  members,  including 
tho  pastor,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living,  save  one.  April  fol- 
lowing, the  building,  a  slight  frame  one,  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
This  accident  gave  zest  to  the  contemplated  erection  of  the 
present  elegant  brick  edifice,  at  the  corner  of  St.  Peter  and 
Bench  streets,  which  is  the  best-finished,  appointed,  and  most 
commodious  church  in  St.  Paul.  Worship  was  first  had  in  it 
during  the  early  part  of  the  following  winter.  The  building 
is  now  thoroughly  finished,  and  last  summer  a  superb  organ 
was  added  to  the  choir.  The  number  of  communicants  con- 
nected with  this  church  is  small  in  comparison  to  the  number 
in  attendance  each  sabbath-day.  They  comprise  about  forty 
out  of  a  regular  congregatio.  of  rising  two  himdred.  Aside 
from  his  rigid  attendance  to  his  ministe'rial  and  other  reli- 
gious, duties,  Mr.  Neill  is  almost  an  indiqiensalh  in  the  way  of 


ST.    PAUL. 


129 


1   I' 


a  good  citizen.  His  labors  as  secretary  of  the  Minnesota 
Historical  Society,  in  collecting  and  writing  our  history  "  as 
MG  go  along,"  and  his  zeal  in  the  cause  of  popular  education, 
are  truly  commendable.  In  fact,  all  of  our  clergymen  take  a 
deep  and  laborious  interest  in  this  latter  great  and  commend- 
able work. 

The  scattered  members  of  the  baptist  flock  were  also  col- 
lected in  1849,  by  the  the  late  Rev.  Mr.  Parsons.  He  died  on 
his  way  home  from  the  East,  in  November,  1851,  just  after 
the  completion  of  the  church  edifice  on  Fifth  street,  wdiich  he 
had  worked  hard  to  finish  and  pay  for.  His  funeral  sermon 
was  the  first  ever  preached  in  the  house.  The  present  pastor, 
Rev.  T.  E.  Cressey,  was  called  during  the  summer  of  1852,  to 
take  charge  of  this  congregation.  It  has  about  twenty -five 
communicants. 

The  Home  Missionary  Society  of  the  prqtestant  episcopal 
church,  established  amission  in  St.  Paul  in  the  summer  of  1850. 
Rev.  Messrs.  Breck,  Wilcoxon,  and  Merrick,  were  placed  in 
charge.  Under  their  superintendence,  the  present  neat  church 
edifice,  on  Cedar  street,  was  erected  the  ensuing  summer.  On 
the  12th  of  April,  1851,  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Kemper  preached 
the  dedication  sermon,  at  which  time  the  parish  was  organized. 
Rev.  Mr.  Wilcoxon  is  rector. 

The  methodist  episcopal  church  established  a  mission 
among  the  Germans  of  this  place  in  the  spring  of  1851.  Rev. 
Jacob  Haas  was  called  to  labor  in  this  vineyard.  By  his  de- 
votion and  industry,  a  respectable  congregation  was  soon  col- 
lected, and  a  church  organized.  They  worshipped  in  the 
lov/er  schoolhouse  until  last  August,  when  they  had  completed 
a  small  but  comfortable  church  building,  situated  upon  the 
lower  extreme  of  Smith  and  Whitney's  addition.  This  organ- 
ization numbers  about  forty  member*:,  and  is  at  present  under 
charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Korfhag— Mr.  Haas  having  been  called  to 
Dubuque  last  fall. 

In  the  fall  of  '51,  by  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  pres- 
byterian  church,  0.  S.,  Rev.  J.  G.  Riheldafifer  was  sent  among 
us  to  build  up  a  church.  He  was  well  received,  and  immedi- 
ately went  about  his  work.     He  has  now  a  church  numbering 


'»o«f*- 


130 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS    KESOUUCKS. 


i 


fourteen  meniLors,  and  preaches  every  sabbath  to  an  intelligent 
coniiTO'.ation  at  the  courthouse.  The  organization  of  tliis 
church  took  place  during  Fehruary,  1852.  It  is  yet  in  its 
infancy,  and  has  no  permanent  place  of  worship.  From  the 
higli  estimation  in  which  Mr.  R.  is  so  deservedly  held  by  all 
our  citizens,  through  respect  to  his  many  good  qualities  as  a 
man  and  citizen,  as  well  as  his  ability  and  zeal  as  a  Christian 
minister,  there  will  be  ample  means  provided  to  complete  this 
substantial  and  elegant  structure  at  an  early  day. 

One  excellent  and  commendable  trait  has  characterized  the 
bearing  and  conduct  of  our  ministers  connected  with  the  several 
denominations  of  the  protestant  church.  With  scarcely  an 
exception,  they  have  exercised  a  truly  Christian  charity  and 
forbearance  toward  each  other,  and  avoided  all  sectarian  con- 
tentions. They  have  labored  unitedly,  not  only  for  the  spirit- 
ual, but  also  for  the  temporal  welfare  of  this  peopl 

All  of  our  church  edifices  have  excellent  and  tine-toned  bells 
attached  to  them ;  and  their  music  upon  a  sabbath  morning 
never  fails  to  carry  the  migrated  citizen  back  to  his  native  city 
or  village  in  the  "  old  settlements,"  and  remind  him  of  the 
green  valleys  and  sun-clad  hills  of  his  "  boyhood's  home." 

There  are  two  "  catholic"  temperance  societies,  Irish  and 
Canadian,  which  hold  regular  meetings. 

The  first  masonic  lodge  was  instituted  in  St.  Paul  during 
October,  1849.  The  work  was  commenced  under  a  dispensa- 
tion from  the  grand  lodge  of  Ohio.  The  lodge  now  numbers 
about  one  hundred  members.  A  grand  lodge  for  the  territory, 
has  also  been  organized  and  holds  its  meetings  in  St.  Paul. 
This  body  w^as  incorporated  by  act  of  the  legislature  during 
the  late  session.  St.  Paul  lodge,  and  all  the  other  lodges  of 
the  territory,  now  work  under  the  jurisdiction  and  authority 
of  the  grand  lodge  of  l\Iinnesota.  A  second  lodge  is  about  to 
be  instituted  here.  The  order  is  in  a  prosperous  and  highly 
flourishing  condition  —  daily  dicpensing  its  fraternal  deeds  of 
charity  and  material  good  among  the  brethren. 

The  first  lodge  of  the  iiidependent  order  of  odd-fellows  was 

xiisiiLULcu    iii    kJL.    iraiu,  Jiity    o,  L^O\j,  u\    uvuii    \jr.    i  uits,  x:^bC|., 

of  Galena,  D.  D.  G.  S.  for  Minnesota — a  charter  having  previ- 


ST.    PAUL. 


131 


ously  been  obtained  for  this  purpose  from  tlie  grand  lodge  of 
the  United  States.  It  took  the  name  of  "  St.  Paul  Lodge,  No. 
2" — "Minnesota  Lodge,"  at  Stillwater,  being  the  senior  organi- 
zation of  the  territory.  St.  Paul  lodge  lias  been  in  a  flourish- 
ing and  highly  prosperous  condition  since  its  organization. 
There  were  only  nine  charter  members.  It  now  numbers 
eighty  members,  among  which  are  six  P.  Gs. 

"Hennepin  Lodge,  No.  4,"  was  instituted  June  2,  1852, 
with  five  charter  members.  It  now  numbers  about  forty,  of 
which  five  are  P.  Gs.  This  lodge  is  also  in  fine  condition. 
The  utmost  harmony  and  good  feeling  exist  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  two  lodges  and  between  the  brethren  individually. 
Their  work  is  carefully  done,  and  would  be  highly  creditable 
to  what  are  usually  termed  "  country  lodges*'  anywhere. 
About  twenty-five  ladies  have  taken  the  degree  of  Rebekah 
from  the  two  lodges. 

"Minnesota  Encampment  of  Patriarchs,  No.  1,"  was  insti- 
tuted during  September,  1851.  It  is  the  only  encampment  yet 
in  the  territory,  and  numbers  twenty-eight  or  thirty  members. 
It  is  well-ofiicered,  and  is  rapidly  increasing.  A  commenda- 
ble interest  is  taken  here  in  the  advancement  and  prosperity 
of  this  too-often-neglected  branch  of  the  order.  Upon  the 
whole,  odd-fellowship  is  doing  much  good  in  St.  Paul,  and  the 
order  is  daily  rising  in  popularity. 

During  the  present  year  (1853),  a  grand  lodge  of  this  order, 
under  the  style  of  the  "grand  lodge  of  Minrosota,"  has  been 
instituted  at  St.  Paul — a  charter  for  that  purpose  having  been 
obtained  at  the  last  annual  meeting  of  the  G.  L.  U.  S. 

This  view  of  our  city  would  be  incomplete  without  such 
brief  history  and  notice  of  our  public  and  private  schools  as 
shall  enable  the  immigrant  and  reader  to  judge  of  the  oppor- 
tunities for  education. 

Miss  Harriet  E.  Bishop  has  the  honor  of  opening  the  first 
school  taught  in  St.  Paul,  July  23,  1847,  in  an  old  log  shanty 
with  loose  floor  and  bark  roof,  that  stood  near  the  site  of  the 
first  presbyterian  church.  The  first  day,  she  had  nine  scholars 
in  attendance,  of  whom  two  only  were  whites.  At  the  end  of 
her  first  session  of  three  months,  her  school  numbered  thirty 


-I  o,> 


]M  I N  N  IS'  )'l'  A     AND    I'lg    li  KS( )  U  liC  I<;9. 


I. 


scliolnrs,  a  majority  of  whom  were  not  very  distantly  related 
,to  the  aborigines  of  the  country. 

1848. — During  the  summer  of  this  year  a  schoolhouse  was 
huilt  in  the  upper  town,  and  a  school  commenced  therein  by 
Miss  Bishop  in  November,  which  was  continued  during  the 
■winter,  with  an  average  attendance  of  thirty  scholars. 

]849. — A  dchoolhouse  was  built  in  the  loAver  town,  and  two 
scliools  were  taught  during  the  fall  by  Miss  Bishop  and  Miss 
Mary  A.  Scofield  respectively.  These  schools  were  continued 
during  the  Avinter,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hobart  also  opened  and 
taught  a  school  for  a  short  time  in  the  methodist  church.  The 
number  of  scholars  in  attendance  during  this  winter  was  one 
hundred  and  twenty. 

1S50. — Misses  Bishop  and  Scofield  united  their  schools  and 
taught  the  fore  part  of  the  summer  sixty  scholars.  During 
their  July  vacation  D.A.J.  Baker  commenced  a  school,  which 
drew  off  part  of  their  scholars,  .aid  the  school  Avas  afterAvard 
conducted  by  Miss  Bishop.  'I'he  free  public  schools  v,^ere 
organized  in  the  fall  of  1850,  and  Mr.  Baker  Avas  employed  to 
teach  the  loAver  school,  and  Mr.  Henry  Doolittle  the  upper. 
A  school  Avas  also  started  at  the  episcopal  mission,  m  mbering 
about  fifteen  pupils.  The  Avhole  number  of  scholars  attending 
Bchool  this  year  Avas  nearly  tAvo  hundred. 

18,51. — The  summer  schools  of  1851  were  four  in  number — 
two  public  and  tAvo  private.  Effect  Avas  given  to  the  school  law 
during  this  year  by  the  appointment  of  a  superintendent  in 
November,  avIio,  in  conformity  Avith  the  laAV,  selected  and 
recommended  a  uniform  series  of  books  for  the  use  of  the 
public  schools  throughout  the  territory.  This  and  other  meas- 
ures of  the  superintendent  gave  economy  and  increased  effi- 
ciency to  the  public  schools  of  our  city,  and  they  have  since 
progressed  rapidly  both  in  increase  of  numbers  and  attain- 
ments of  the  scholars.  The  recommendations  of  the  superin- 
tendent having  been  unanimously  adopted  throughout  the  city, 
the  public  schools  Avent  into  operation  under  the  charge  of  Mr. 
George  II.  Spencer,  assisted  by  IVliss  Bass,  and  the  late  Mr.  B. 
B.  Ford,  assisted  by  Miss  BreAvster.  The  mission  school  and 
the  private  school  of  Miss  Bishop  were  continued  with  in- 


ST.    PAUL. 


ins 


creascfl  pntrnnago,  and  two  catliolic  scliools  were  openecl 

one  in  tlie  Laseinent  of  the  elimcli,  for  boys;  and  tlie  other  by 
tlie  sisters  of  clmrity.  Tlie  number  of  sclndars  in  attendance 
at  all  of  these  schools  was  not  far  from  three  hundred. 

1852.— During  the  past  year,  and  especially  the  past  winter, 
we  have  had  occasion  to  visit  some  of  the  public  schools  of  our 
city,  and  have  uniformly  admired  the  efficiency  of  the  teachers 
and  the  scholarship  of  the  pupils.     A  grammar-school,  which 
was  formed  by  the  union  of  the  first  and  second  districts,  was 
successfully  conducted  by  George  H.  Spencer,  who  had  an 
average  attendance  of  seventy  pupils.     Our  primary  schools 
have  been  equally  well  attended  and  as* successfully  conducted. 
Jackson  street  school,  No  1,  was  taught  by  Miss  Bishop ;  No. 
2,  by  Miss  Sorin.     Walnut  street  school.  No.  1,  was  taught  by 
Miss  Merrill ;  No.  2,  by  Miss  Esson.     The  catholic  and  epis- 
copal schools  were  continued  as  usual,  and  the  whole  number 
of  scholars  in  attendance  at  all  the  schools  was  over  four  hun- 
dred.    Let  no  emigrant  hesitate  to  come  to  Minnesota  on  ac- 
count of  the  education  of  his  family.     The  disposition  of  the 
people   to  secure  educational  privileges,  is  best  expressed  by 
the  maxim  they  have  adopted  :  "  The  property  of  the  people 
shall  educate   the  children  of  the  people."     The  liberality  of 
the  general   government  has   appropriated  two  thirty-sixths 
of   the  entire  territ*  ry  for  public  free   schools,  and  donated 
forty-nine  thousand  acres  to  endow  a  state  university.     It  will 
be  but  a  few  years  until  as  good  a  practical  education  as  can 
be  had   anywhere,  may  be  had  at  St.  Paul;  and  when  the 
endowments  of  the   state  university  at  St.  Anthony,  and  the 
Baldwin  school  at  St.  Paul,  are  available,  will  also  offer  une- 
qualed  advantages  of  education.     The  citizens   of  St.  Paul 
may  justly  feel  proud  of  their  public  free  schools. 

There  are  in  St.  Pnul  twenty-five  practising  attorneys-at-law 
and  ten  physicians.  Most  of  these  gentlemen  are  worthy 
members  of  their  professions,  and  occupy  prominent  spheres 
in  the  ranks  of  citizenship.  Our  bar,  in  point  of  talent  and 
legal  acumen,  would  not  discredit  much  older  communities. 
However,  there  is  a  sufficient  number  of  legal  gentlemen 
already  on  hand  to  answer  all  the  ends  of  justice  for  the  next 


tn4 


linNNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


ten  years.     We  would  not  recommend  a  further  increase  by 


immi  Juration. 


It  is  true  we  liave  very  little  sickness  lierc  ;  but  Avben  one  is 
ill,  it  is  the  greatest  of  consolations  as  well  as  the  surest  means 
of  safety,  to  have  a  physician  worthy  of  trust  and  confidence. 
Our  doctors  generally  possess  these  qualifications  in  an  emi- 
nent degree.  The  small  number  of  deaths,  even  in  comparison 
to  the  number  of  cases  of  sickness,  ati-'  *'ie  trutli  of  this. 
The  same  remark  made  in  regard  to  th.  )er  of  lawyers, 

will  also  apply  to  physicians.  The  country  is,  as  one  of  them 
remarked  the  other  day,  so  "wretchedly  healthy,"  that  those 
already  here  are  put  1^)  their  utmost  exertions  to  ''  make  a 
living."     We  would  not  advise  any  further  ingress. 

The^;\s^  preparatory  steps  to  commence  the  publication  of  a 
newspaper  here,  were  taken  in  August,  1848,  by  Prof.  A.  Ran- 
dall, then  an  attaclic  of  Dr.  Owen's  geological  corps,  engaged 
in  a  survey  of  this  region  by  order  of  government.     The  proj- 
ect grew  out  of  the  celebrated  "  Stillwater  convention"  of  that 
year.     It  was  this  which  first  suggested  to  the  mind  of  Mr. 
Randall,  that  if  there  was  to  be  a  territorial  organization  here 
— whether  it  be  a  new  territory,  or  be  harnessed  up  by  John 
Catlin  in  the  old  cast-off  gear  of  Wisconsin — it  would  neces- 
sarily follow  there  must  be  a  newspaper.     Having  the  capacity 
and  means  necessary  to  undertake  the  enterprise,  he  set  about 
it.     The  leading  men  of  the  territory — M^  Sibley  and  others 
— guarantied  their  countenance  and  liberal  aid  ;  and  during 
the    early   part   of   the   fall,  the   arrangements  were   so   far 
consummated,  that  Mr.  Randall  proceeded  to  Cincinnati — his 
then  home — to  purchase  press  and  materials.     Winter  setting 
in  unusually  early,  he  was  not  able  to  return  before  the  close 
of  navigation.     Meanwhile  he  awaited  the  issue  of  the  bill  to 
organize  the  territory,  then  pending  before  Congress.     It  did 
not  pass  until  the  last  day  of  the  session.     By  this  time,  Ran- 
dall had  concluded  to  set  up  his  office  in  Cincinnati,  and  there 
print  the  first  number  of  his  paper.     A  partnership  had  been 
formed  between   him  and  the   present   senior  editor  of  the 
"  Minnesotian.''     The  first  number  of  the  *'  Minnesota  Regis- 
ter" was  accordingly  issued — 'printed  in  Cincinnati,  it  is  true, 


ST.    PAUL 


135 


Lut  dared  at  "  St.  Paul.  April  27,  1849" -^one  day  before  the 
first  imrnl.er  of  the  "Pioneer."  .Alessrs.  Sibley  and  Rice  had 
])nssed  tlirough  Cincinnati;  on  their  way  home  from  Washing- 
ton, and  liberal  contributions  from  their  pens  were  found  in  the 
fust  number  of  the  Register.  These,  added  to  Mr.  Randall's 
extensive  knowledge  of  the  country,  made  one  of  the  most 
interesting  local  sheets  for  Minnesota  that  has  ever  been  issued. 
The  miM,o  fact  of  its  not  having  been  printed  here  makes  no 
particular  difference.  It  was  a  Minnesota  newspaper— a  ^S^. 
Paul  newspaper,  and  the>V*^  one  ever  published. 

Randall,  being  a  man  of  unsettled  purpose  and  roving  dispo- 
sition, caught  the  California  fever  ji«t  at  this  juncture,  and 
sold  out  the  Register  to  Major  M'Lean,  late  Indian  agent  at 
Fort  Snelling,  who  had  determined  to  migrate  hither,  and  re- 
sume the  business  of  printing,  to  which  he  had  been  bred,  but 
had  not  followed  for  thirty  years.  Randall's  arrangement  waa 
continued  by  M'Lean,  under  the  style  of  "M'Lean  «fe  Owens." 
The  press  and  materials  were  shipped  to  St.  Paul,  and  the 
junior  editor  made  his  way  hither  in  the  month  of  May. 
M'Lean  remained  behind,  owing  mainly  to  the  breaking  out 
of  the  cholera,  and  did  not  arrive  till  late  in  August.  This 
circumstance  was  a  serious  blow  to  the  success  of  the  Register. 
The  Pioneer  had  shot  far  ahead ;  the  "  Chronicle"  had  been 
established  by  James  Hughes  about  the  first  of  June  ;  and  the 
little  Register  appeared  to  be  "  nowhere." 

It  became  evident,  however,  that  both  it  and  the  Chron- 
icle could  not  live  separately  :  so  about  the  time  M'Lean 
came  on  in  August,  the  two  were  united,  under  the  title  of  the 
"Chronicle  and  Register"— Hughes  selling  out  and  retiring, 
and  his  foreman,  Quay,  taking  an  interest  with  M'Lean  & 
Owens.  Quay  continued  two  or  three  weeks,  and,  becomin'* 
dissatisfied,  quit  the  concern  and  the  country.  ^ 

The  Chronicle  and  Register  was  continued  by  M'Lean  & 
Owens,  with  growing  prospects  of  success,  until  July  following. 
It  was  the  acknowledged  whig  sheet  of  the  territory,  and  pos- 
sessed the  confidence  of  the  friends  of  the  administration  almost 
unanimously.  At  this  time  M'Lean,  having  some  months 
previously  been  appointed  Indian  agent,  became  unwilling  to 


136 


MINNESOTA   AND   IT8   RESOURCES. 


continue  tlie  Ijusinesa  longer.  The  cstablishmont  was  sold  to 
David  Olmstod,  a  democrat.  Owens  went  out  witli  M'Lcan  ; 
and  (\m\\)<;  tlie  few  months  which  Olmsted  owned  the  estab- 
lishment, tlie  paper  had  different  editors  at  different  periods. 
Part  of  the  time  it  edited  itself. 

In  November,  D.  A.  Robertson  arrived  with  his  press,  and 
early  the  following  month  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
"  Alinncsota  Democrat."  About  this  time  C.  J.  Henniss,  for- 
merly of  riiiladolphia,  became  the  owner  of  the  Chronicle 
and  llegistcr.  Tlie  printing  was  divided  between  the  Tioneer 
and  a  neio  whig  oftce,  to  be  established  the  following -spring. 
Out  of  this  latter  establishment  grcAv  the  "  Minnesotian."  The 
Chronicle  and  Register  went  down — the  presses  and  materials 
passing  into  the  hands  of  Robertson. 

The  first  number  of  the  Minnesotian  was  issued  Septem- 
ber 17,  1851.     Its  publication  was  commenced  by  a  committee 

J.  p.  Owens  having  charge  of  the  editorial,  and  J.  C.  Teriy 

the  mechar.ical  department.  The  6th  of  January  following, 
the  establishment  passed  into  the  hands  of  Owens  &  Moore, 
where  it  still  continues. 

The  Pioneer  continued  in  the  hands  of  its  original  pro- 
prietor till  the  day  of  his  death,  last  August.  His  name  still 
remains  at  his  head,  although  the  establishment  has  ceased  to 
belong  to  his  estate. 

The  people  of  Minnesota  are  remarkable  for  the  liberality 
with  which  they  support  their  local  newspapers.  The  three 
establishments  of  St.  Paul  all  appear  to  be  doing  a  prosperous 
business.  The  aggregate  investment  in  printing-offices  in  this 
place,  we  presume  amounts  to  twelve  thousand  dollars.  Of  the 
inlhience  of  the  press,  and  its  energy  and  usefulness  in  devel- 
oping the  resources  and  advantages  of  Minnesota,  too  much 

can  not  be  said. 

One  of  the  best  criterions  at  hand  by  which  to  jrulge  of  our 
sure  and  steady  advance  in  business  importance,  is  the  rise  in 
the  value  of  real  estate.  A  number  of  lots  situated  on  the 
river  below  Sibley  street,  which  less  than  six  years  ago  cost 
Capt.  L.  Roberts  not  more  than  five  dollars,  were  sOx(l  by  ,iim 
to  a  company  of  our  oldest  citizens  for  four  thousand  dollars ! 


ST.    PAUL. 


137 


The  purcliaspi  ,kno^v  the  vnlne  of  property  as  well  ns  any  men 
among  ns.  They  consider  tlu.t  they  have  secured  a  great 
hargam.  Others  stood  ready,  witli  money  in  hand,  to  grab  tliis 
property,  and  were  greatly  disappointed  that  tliey  did  not  se- 
cure it.  Last  fall  a  lot  on  St.  Anthony  street,  a  square  below 
the  American  house,  which  Mr.  Rice  gave  to  one  of  our  attor- 
neys in  1849,  and  paid  him  a  dollar  for  making  out  the 
deed,  was  sold  by  said  attorney  for  eighteen  hundred  dollars. 
Lots  in  that  neighborhood  now  command  a  thousand  dollars 
or  more.  In  1849,  I  could  have  purchased  a  quarter  of  a 
block,  one  lot  of  which  the  Pioneer  office  now  stands  upon,  for 
two  hundred  dollars  ;  now  the  same  property  is  worth  three 
thousand  dollars,  without  the  improvements.  Lots  upon  Third 
street  which,  at  that  time,  could  have  been  purchased  at  from 
fieventy-five  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  are  now  worth 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred.  No  sort  of  a  lot,  even  in  the 
outer  additions,  can  now  be  bought  for  a  hundred  dollars. 

But  what  has  been  is  nothing  to  that  which  will  le.  There 
is  plenty  of  chances  yet — and  better  ones  than  ever — for 
"making  money"  here  by  investing  in  real  estate.  No  one 
need  be  afraid  to  take  hold  at  present  prices.  The  advance 
is  rapid  and  continual  ;  and,  with  the  advantages  which  will 
accrue  by  the  opening  of  the  vast  and  fertile  country  beyond 
us,  there  can  be  no  reverse  movement. 

Lumber  averages  about  twelve  dollars  per  thousand ;  shin- 
gles, three  dollars ;  bricks,  six  dollars  per  thousand  at  the  yard. 

Common  foundation-stone,  seventy-five  cents  per  perch,  at 
the  quarry ;  cut-stone  for  windows,  sills,  &c.,  fifty  cents  per 
foot. 

Lime,  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  to  one  dollar  and  thirty 
cents  per  barrel.  Sand,  twelve  and  a  half  cents  per  load  at 
bank.  Two  horses  and  wagon,  from  three  to  five  dollars  per 
day  — generally  four  dollars.  Lathing,  and  plastering  with 
two  rough  coats,  and  furnishing  all  the  materials,  from  thirty 
to  thirty-tAvo  cents  per  yard.  Journeymen  carpenters  receive 
from  one  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  to  two  dollars  per  day. 
Stone-work,  cellar-walls  laid  in  mortar,  one  dollar  and  seventy- 
five  cents  to  two  dollars  per  perch. 


138 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    RKSOT'RCrS. 


1: 


Vacant  houses  are  hard  to  find,  and  consequently  rents  are 
very  high.  A  small  shop  or  office,  fifteen  l»y  twenty  feet 
square,  on  any  of  the  improved  streets,  will  rent  readily  at 
from  six  to  ten  dollars  per  month.  A  one-story  building,  situ- 
ated in  any  part  of  the  tow  ,  containing  four  rooms,  each  say 
twelve  feet  square,  with  or  without  a  cellar,  pump,  or  cistern, 
will  rent  for  from  twelve  to  sixteen  dollars  per  month.  As  a 
general  rule,  the  rent  of  a  small  dwelling  for  two  years  will 
pay  all  the  cost  of  its  building.  Rents  can  not  fall  until  the 
supply  more  nearly  approximates  the  increasing  demand  for 
tenements.  The  lumber  and  building-material  market  is  much 
better  stocked  than  some  time  ago,  so  that  the  pressing  de- 
mand for  buildings  will  be  more  readily  supplied.  Buildings 
are  erected  in  St.  Paul  with  telegraphic  rapidity.  If  one 
makes  a  trip  to  the  country  on  a  fishing  or  hunting  excursion, 
he  is  astonished  on  his  return  at  the  number  of  buildings  and 
shanties  commenced  and  completed  during  his  absence. 

Many  economical  persons,  with  families,  knock  together,  as 
soon  as  they  land,  a  rude  shanty,  in  which  they  live  quite 
comfortably,  until  a  better  building  can  be  erected,  and  thus 
avoid  the  expense  of  high  rent. 

Eh'gibly-situated  property  in  St.  Paul  has  more  than  doubled 
in  value  each  year  for  the  past  four  years,  and  we  have  no 
doubt  but  much  of  it  will  continue  to  advance  at  a  similar  rate 
for  the  next  two  years.  It  may  reasonably  be  estimated  that 
our  population  and  improvements  have  increased  sixty  per 
cent,  during  the  present  year. 

About  live  years  ago,  the  land  upon  which  this  city  is  lo- 
cated was  purchased  at  the  land- office  for  one  dollar  and  a 
quarter  per  acre.  Before  that,  it  was  hold  by  no  other  title 
than  squatters'  claims. 

A  number  of  town-lots  have  changed  hands  since  the  open- 
ing of  navigation  at  prices  ranging  from  one  hundred  to  twelve 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  The  lots  are  usually  fifty  feet  front 
by  one  hundred  and  fifty  deep.  Those  sold  for  one  hundred 
dollars  each  are  located  in  the  additions  to  the  original  town- 
plat.  On  the  squares  around  the  capitol  owners  are  asking 
from  two  to  five  hundred  dollars  per  lot. 


I) ,  ■ 


ST.    PAUL. 


139 


Tlio  followinpr  sales  liavo  lately  been  made  :  A  lot  on  Fourth 
Ftrcet,  oppoHitc  the  courtliousc,  for  five  liundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars  ;  a  lot  on  Third,  above  ]\[innesota  street, for  twelve  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars;  two  lots  on  Fourth  street  (corner  of  St. 
I'etor's  and  next  lot),  with  improvement  worth  two  liundred 
and  fifty  dollars,  for  eleven  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars ; 
'"lie  lot  on  Third,  below  Wabashaw  street,  for  one  thousand 
dollars.  Numerous  other  sales  have  been  made  recently  for 
cash,  but  the  above  will  suffice  to  show  at  what  rates  lots  have 
been  selling  this  season.  The  sales  quoted  are  of  property 
located  in  the  central  part  of  the  town,  Avhich,  however,  is  not 
so  closely  built  up  as  the  thickly-settled  parts  of  either  "  up 
town"  or  "  down  town." 

In  approaching  the  conclusion  of  this  rough  and  imperfectly- 
sketched  picture  of  St.  Paul,  we  must  arrive  at  the  further  but 
consistent  conclusion  that  a  high  and  glorious  position  among 
the  commercial  and  manufacturing  marts  of  the  great  western 
valley  is  rapidly  approaching  her.  In  fact,  it  may  be  said  to 
be  already  upon  her. 

I  have  endeavored  to  present  St.  Paul  as  it  now  is.  The 
historical  reminiscences  thrown  into  the  background  are  gen- 
erally derived  from  personal  observi^tion  —  most  "  of  which  we 
saw  and  part  of  which  we  were."  The  statistical  results  ar- 
rived at  have  chiefly  been  furnished  by  reliable  citizens,  and 
will  be  found  correct  in  the  main.  Some  inaccuracies  will  be 
found  embodied  in  this  sketch,  but  there  are  none  of  any  great 
or  material  magnitude. 

The  chief  object  has  been  to  make  the  stranger  acquainted 
with  the  history,  rise,  progress,  and  prospects,  present  and 
future,  of  St.  Paul.  I  wish  the  immigrant,  when  he  arrives,  to 
know  where  he  is  —  among  whom  he  is — and  what  prospects 
of  success  await  him  by  remaining  with  us.  Also  the  compi- 
lation of  historical  and  statistical  data,  as  the  foundation  of 
future  notations  and  speculations  in  regard  to  the  onward  prog- 
ress of  this  predestined  emporium  of  the  northwest.  If  what 
is  here  written  and  compiled  should  never  be  of  future  use  to 
ourselves,  perhaps  it  may  be  of  some  slight  aid  to  those  who 
are  to  come  after  us.    I  thus  take  leave  of  St.  Paul  at  the 


140 


MINNESOTA    AND   IT8    RKSOURriDB. 


Opening  of  tlic  luisinpRs  senfion  of  the  year  1853.    "  There  she 
Ktaiuls !" 

Olio  of  the  most  intorcsting  places  in  Mimicsota,  aiul  one 
tliat  most  who  have  como  into  tlio  territory  liavo  seen  and  ad- 
mircd,  lies  between  St.  Taul  and  St.  Anthony.     It  is  composed 
for  tlie  most  part  of  prairie  and  openings;  and,  after  a  tedious 
jonrney  of  several  days  by  the  river,  a  ride  over  this  region  is 
delightful  indeed,  especially  when  one  has  become  weary  of 
the  monotonous  succession  of  bluffs  and  densely-timbered  river 
bottoms  that  have  bounded   the  vision  for  several  huntlred 
miles.     The  wayworn  traveller  longs  for  a  change  in  the  scene 
by  the  time  he  lands  at  St.  Paul ;  and  if  he  will  but  step  into 
one  of  the  line  "  Concord  coaches"  always  in  readiness  on  tho 
arrival  of  a  boat,  to  carry  him  to  the  great  falls  of  the  Father 
of  Waters,  he  will  soon  bo  gratified.     In  a  few  minutes  he  will 
be  out  upon  the  beautiful  prairie,  that  commences  about  one 
mile  from  St.  Paul,  and  extends  nearly  half  way  to  St.  Anthony 
and  several  miles  northward.     How  invigorating  the  air  feels 
that  comes  over  the  flow^ery  plain,  or  the  large  fields  of  grain 
and  corn !     The  new-comer  here  seems  to  breathe  with  fresh 
delight,  and  he  feels  better  and  stronger  than  ever  before. 
Here  and  there  a  little  gem  of  a  lake  meets  the  view.     Culti- 
vated fields  and  improved  farms  noAv  appear  quite  numerous, 
among  which  is  one  owned  by  ex-Governor  Ramsey,  contain- 
ing some  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  under  improvement. 

The  prairie  is  soon  crossed,  and  the  openings  commence  and 
extend  nearly  to  St.  Anthony  city.  Farms  now  appear  more 
numerous,  while  most  of  the  land  on  either  side  of  the  road  is 
wilder  improvement.  In  a  cluster  of  trees,  just  as  we  enter  the 
beautiful  opening,  stands  a  neat,  newly-erected  building,  which 
plainly  tells  that  the  "  schoolmaster  is  abroad"  in  Minnesota. 
Many  of  the  farms  in  this  neighborhood  are  quite  small,  after 
the  New  England  fashion,  and  the  land  is  held  at  high  prices. 
Gardening  is  carried  on  quite  extensively  by  many,  and  great 
quantities  of  vegetables,  melons,  &c.,  are  raised  for  the  St. 
Paul  and  St.  Anthony  markets.  The  soil  and  situation  of  this 
place  are  both  remarkably  well  adapted  to  horticultural  pur- 


ST.    PAUL  —  OBITUARY    NOTFCK. 


HI 


MiitH.  Tli(«  quantity  and  quality  of  melons  and  tomatoes  raised 
liore  arc  quite  surin-ining  to  persons  from  the  east. 

A  nursery,  the  first  in  :MinneH()ta,  has  been  cstaldished  in 
tlii.s  place  by  Mr.  L.  M.  Ford  ;  and,  in  connection  with  the 
Scott  nursery  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  he  is  prepared  to  furnish 
trees  and  plants  to  any  who  wish  to  plant  orchards  or  embel- 
lish their  grounds.  Fruit-trees  grown  in  this  territory  I  think 
will  be  in  demand  for  planting  some  distance  south  of  this,  as 
the  soil  and  climate  are  calculated  to  produce  very  hardy  trees. 

Most  of  the  country  lying  between  St.  Paul  and  8t.  Anthony 
is  known  by  the  name  of  "Groveland,"  which  i»  quite  an  ap- 
propriate name,  though  a  part  of  the  prairie  is  included  within 
the  settlements. 

In  connection  with  this  history  of  St.  Paul  and  its  newspaper 
press,  I  present  the  following  article  from  the  annals  of  the 
Minnesota  Historical  Society  for  1853,  prepared  by  the  secre- 
tary, the  llev.  E.  D.  Neill  :— 

OBITUARY    NOTICE    OF   JAMES    M.   GOODHUE,  LATE    EDITOR    OF    THE 

"  MINNESOTA    riONEER." 

"  The  body  that  once  encased  the  mind  of  James  M.  Good- 
hue is  no  longer  visible,  but  dwells  in  a  narrow  house,  the 
silent  and  dreary  grave.  Until  he  ceased  to  breathe,  his  value 
to  the  community  was  not  fully  known.  In  life,  he  was  viewed 
chiefly  in  the  aspect  of  an  individual  battling  for  his  own  in- 
terests. In  death,  it  is  discovered  that  he  was  the  individual, 
above  all  others,  who  had  promoted  the  general  welfare  of 
Minnesota,  and  especially  that  of  the  capital. 

"In  April,  1849,  he  found  St.  Paul  nothing  more  than  n 
frontier  Indian-trading  settlement,  known  by  the  savages  as 
the  place  where  they  could  obtain  tninne-walcon,  or  whiskey, 
and  wholly  unknown  to  the  civilized  world.  When  he  died, 
with  the  sword  of  his  pen  he  had  carved  a  name  and  reputa- 
tion for  St.  Paul,  and  he  lived  long  enough  to  hear  men  think 
aloud  and  sav  that  the  dav  was  ooiTiino-  w'l»*^n  s'^l"^olbo'"''""^"l'l 
learn  from  their  geography  tliat  the  third  city  in  commercial 


1   M 


it   I 


142  MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 

importance,  on  the  banks  of  the  mighty  Mississippi,  was  St. 
Paul.  His  most  bitter  opponents  were  convinced,  whatever 
mioht  be  his  condnct  toward  them,  that  he  hn-ed  Minnesota 
witli  all  his  heart,  all  his  mind,  and  all  his  might. 

-  The  editor  of  the  '  Pioneer'  was  unlike  other  men.  Every 
action,  and  every  line  he  wrote  marked  great  individuality. 
He  conld  imitate  no  man  in  his  manners  nor  in  his  style,  nei- 
ther could  any  man  imitate  him.  Attempts  were  sometimes 
made,  but  the  failure  was  always  very  great.  Impetuous  as 
the  whirlwind,  with  perceptive  powers  that  gave  to  his  mind 
the  eye  of  a  lynx,  with  a  vivid  imagination  that  made  the  very 
stoned  of  Minnesota  speak  her  praise,  with  an  intellect  as  yig- 
orous  and  elastic  as  a  Damascene  blade,  he  penned  editorials 
which  the  people  of  this  territory  can  never  blot  out  from 

'"""'^ms  wit,  when  it  was  chastened,  caused  ascetics  to  laugh. 
His  sarcasm  upon  the  foibles  of  society  was  paralyzing  and  un- 
equalled  by  Macaulay  in  his  review  of  the  life  of  Barrere_   H.s 
imagination  produced  a  tale  of  fiction  called  '  Striking  a  Lead, 
which  has  already  become  a  part  of  the  light  literature  of  the 
west      When,  in  the  heat  of  partisan  warfare,  all  the  qualities 
of  his  mind  were  combined  to  defeat  certain  measures,  the  col- 
umns of  his  paper  were  like  a  temfic  storm  in  midsummer  amid 
the  Alps.     One  sentence  would  be  like  the  dazzling,  arrowy 
lightning,  peeling  in  a  moment  the  mountain-oak,  and  nving 
from  the  topmost  branch  to  the  deepest  root ;  the  next  like  a 
crash  of  awful  thunder ;  and  the  next  like  the  stunning  roar 
of  a  torrent  of  many  waters.     To  employ  the  remark  made  m 
a  discourse  at  his  funeral-' With  the  ingenuity  of  Vulcan,  he 
would  hammer  out  thunderbolts  on  the  anvil  of  his  mind,  and 
hurl  them  with  the  power  and  dexterity  of  Jove !' 

-  The  contrarieties  of  his  character  often  increased  his  torce. 
Imagining  his  foes  to  be  Cossacks,  he  often  dashed  among 
them  with  all  the  recklessness  of  Murat.  The  fantastic  mag- 
nificence of  his  pen,  when  in  those  moods,  was  as  appalling  m 
its  temerity  as  the  white  ostricli-feather  and  glittering  gold 
band  of  Napoleon's  famed  marshal. 

"His  prejudice  was  inveterate  against  sham  and  clap-trap. 


ST.    PAUL OBITUARY   NOTICE. 


143 


He  refused  to  publish  many  of  the  miserable  advertisements 
of  those  quacks  who  seek  to  palm  off  their  nostrums  upon  young 
men  diseased  through  their  own  vices.  When  a  '  stroller'  for 
a  living,  or  a  self-dubbed  professor,  came  to  town,  he  sported 
with  him  as  the  Philistines  with  blind  Samson.  By  sarcasm 
and  ridicule,  '  Jarley  with  his  wax-works'  was  made  to  de- 
camp. 

"When  he  was  unjustifiably  harsh,  his  apology  was  that  in 
the  '  Medea'  of  Euripides  :— 

'  Manthano  men  hoia  dran  mello  kaka 
Thumos  de  kreiseona  tone  emone  bouleumatone.* 

He  was  not  hypocritical ;  he  never  wore  a  mask.  His  edi- 
torials showed  all  he  felt  at  the  hour  they  were  dashed  from 
his  pen.  When  untrammelled  by  self-interest  or  party-tie^  his 
sentiments  proved  that  he  was  a  man  that  was  often  ready  to 
exclaim : —  ^ 

'Video  meliora  proboque 
Deteriora  sequor.' 

"As  a  paragraphist,  he  was  equalled  by  few  living  men. 
His  sentences  so  leaped  with  life,  that  when  the  distant  reader 
perused  his  sheet,  he  seemed  to  hear  the  purling  brooks  and 
see  the  agate  pavements  and  crystal  waters  of  the  lakes  of 
Minnesota;  and  he  longed  to  leave  the  sluggish  stream,  the 
deadly  malaria,  and  wornout  farms,  and  begin  life  anew  in 
the  tei-ritory  of  the  sky-tinted  waters.  When  the  immigrant 
from  week  to  week  was  disposed  to  dt.3pond,  and  give  way  to 
the  distress  of  homesickness,  the  hopeful  sentences  of  his  paper 
in  relation  to  the  prosperous  future,  chased  ihat  dismal  feeling 
away.  ° 

"  ^^'^  tleceased  was  born  in  Hebron,  New  Hampshire,  March 
^1,  1810.  His  parents  possessed  the  strong  faith  and  stern 
virtue  of  the  puritans,  and  felt  that  an  education  was  the 
greatest  treasure  they  could  give  their  children.  After  pas- 
sing through  preparatory  studies,  he  entered  Amheist  college, 
where  he  listened  to  the  lectures  of  the  distinguished  geolodst 
Witcncock  and  other  devout  men  of  science.  In  the  year  1832 
he  received  a  diploma  from  that  institution.     It  was  his  desire 


i  1 


\ 


144 


MINNr.SOTA    AND    ITS    KESOUKCES. 


to  have  atteiulod  a  meeting  of  his  surviving  classmates  in  the 
halls  of  his  'Alma  Mater,'  but  another  summons  came,  to  take 
*lus  chamber  in  the  silent  halls  of  Death.' 

•«  Having  stuilied  law,  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  the 
profession.     He  became  an  editor  unexpectedly  to  himself 
Having  been  invited  to  take  Mie  oversight  of  a  press  in  the 
lead  region  of  Wisconsin,  during  the  temporary  absence  of  its 
conductor,  he  discovered  that  he  increased  the  interest  of  the 
readers  in  the  paper.     From  that  time  he  began  to  pay  less 
attention  to  the  legal  profession,  and  was  soon  known  among 
the  citizens  of  the  mines  as  the  editor  of  the  Grant   County 
Herald,  published  at  Lancaster,  Wisconsin.     Wl)ile  residing 
at  this  place,  he  became  interested  in  the  territory  '  of  sky- 
tinted    waters'    (Minnesota).      With    the   independence   and 
temerity  of  one  Benjamin  Franklin,  he  left  Lancaster  as  sud- 
denly as  the  osteuGiblo  editor  of  the  New  England  Courant 
left  Boston,  and  he  arrived  at  the  landing  of  what  is  now  the 
capital  of  Minnesota,  with  little  more  money  and  few  more 
friends  than  the  young  printer  who  landed  at  Market-street 
wharf,  in  the  capital  of  the  then  youthful  territory  of  Pennsyl- 
vania.    This  part  of  his  life  he  has  described  with  some  miu- 
•atencss  in  the  Phncer  of  April  18,  1852,  in  connection  with  a 
life-like  picture  of 


(I  ( 


THE    FIRST    DAYS    OF    THE    TOWN    OF    ST.    PAUL. 


" '  The  18th  day  of  April,  1849,  was  a  raw,  cloudy  day. 
The  steamboat  "  Senator,"  Captain  Smith,  landed  at  Ran- 
dall's warehouse,  lower  landing,  the  only  building  then  there, 
except  Roberts's  old  store.      Of  the  people  on  shore,  we  rec- 
ognised but  one  person  as  an  acquaintance.     Took  our  press, 
frypes,  and  printing  apparatus,  all  ashore.      Went  with  our 
men  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Bass,  corner  of  Third  and  Jackson 
streets.     He  kept  the  only  public  house  in  St.  Paul ;  and  it 
was  crowded  full  from  cellar  to  garret.     Mr.  Bass  was  very 
obliging,  and  did  everything  possible  for  our  encouragement. 
The^next  thing  was  a  printing^offico.  ;  and  that  it  seemed  im- 
posaiblo  to  obtain.     Made  the  acquaintance  of  C.  P.  V.  Lull, 


ST.    PAUi.  —  UBITUAJiY    NOTICE. 


145 


ami  his  partner,  Gilbert.  They  furiii.shed  uh,  gratuitously,  the 
lower  story  of  their  huihliii}^,  for  an  ollice  —  the  only  vacant 
room  in  town;  being  the  buihling  on  Third  street,  hince  fin- 
ished off  and  now  occupied  as  a  saloon  by  Mr.  Calder.  The 
weather  was  cold  and  stormy,  and  our  oflice  was  as  open  as  a 
corn-rick  ;  however,  we  picked  our  types  up  and  made  ready 
for  the  issue  of  the  iirst  j)aper  ever  printed  in  Minnesota  or 
within  many  hundreds  (»f  miles  of  it;  but  upon  search  wc 
found  our  news-chase  was  left  behind.  William  Nobles, 
blacksmith,  made  us  a  very  good  one,  after  a  delay  of  two 
or  three  days.  The  paper  was  to  bo  named  "  The  Epistle  of 
Bt.  Paul,"  as  announced  in  our  jirospectus,  published  in  the 
February  preceding;  but  we  found  so  many  little  saints  in 
tlie  territory,  jealous  of  St.  Paul,  that  we  deternnned  to  call 
0  !r  paper  '•  The  Miiniesota  IMoneer."  One  hinderance  after 
another  delayed  our  first  issue  to  the  28th  of  April  —  ten  days. 
Meantime,  llev.  Mr.  Neill  arrived.  It  was  encouraging  to  find 
a  young  man  of  education  ready  to  enlist  all  that  he  had  or 
hoped  on  earth,  in  the  fortunes  of  our  town.  Stillwater  and. 
{St.  Paul  were  then  running  nock  and  neck,  as  rival  towns. 
Not  a  foot  of  pine  lumber  could  be  had  nearer  than  Stillwater. 
But  about  this  time  one  of  the  mills  at  St.  Anthony  was  put  in 
operation  ;  but  there  were  then  only  a  few  buildings  at  the 
falls  of  St.  Anthony.  We  looked  about  St.  Paul  to  buy  a  lot. 
Mr.  Larpenteur's  house  was  built ;  also,  French's  house  and 
shop  (now  a  tin  shop),  and  the  little  shop,  then  the  drug-storo 
of  Dewey  &  Cavileor,  recently  Major  J.  J.  Noah's  office,  next 
door  west  of  Calder's  (then  our  printing-office) ;  ako  the  office 
of  Judge  Pierse  (then  the  fur  store  of  Olmsted  and  Rhodes). 
Mr.  Lambert's  house  was  partly  finished.  As  you  go  up  Third 
and  Bench  streets,  the  next  buildings  were  two  old  tamarac 
log-houses,  a  little  east  of  where  Mr.  Neill's  church  is ;  then 
passing  the  schoolhouse,  there  were  two  more  of  the  same  sort 
in  the  street,  in  front  of  the  houses  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Ben- 
son and  Mr.  Ilollinshead  near  the  junction  of  St.  Anthony, 
Bench,  and  Hill  streets.  Beyond,  Avas  the  house  John  H. 
Twine  lives  in,  and  nothing  oLso  but  the  symptoms  of  two  or 
three  balloon  frames.     The  Fullers  were  at  work  putting  up  a 

I*' 

/ 


tiilij 


:| 


146 


MINNKSO'IA   AND   ITS    KK80URCE8. 


.1 


'f 

^ 

1 

ilte. 

H|ji|:;;i 

i 

KOjOBSM^I 

^ 

I^^^^Hh 

^^^■■1 

i 

^^^^HpBpTt 

i 

MW' 

h 

email  store  Avitli  tl.oir  own  Lands.     Kotnrninp:,  on  tLo  right, 
was  the   old   nndi  v-ronnd  dtsid-lall,  in  the.    grcmnd  opposite 
John  II.  Irvine's  hoiise ;  then  at  the  jnnction  of  Third  and 
Bench  streets,  was  Vetal  (Jneri.i's  log-honse  (now  Lc  Dnc's) ; 
then  the  bnilding  in  which  IMr.  Cnrran  lives,  at  that  time  nn- 
finished  ;  then  the  old  bakery  nexi  door  east;  then  Mr.  Hop- 
kins's at  the  corner;  tnrning  the  corner  to  the  head  of  llan- 
dall's  stairs  (not  then  built),  was  the  old  building,  still  there 
(now  belonging  to  F.  Steele),  which  Henry  Jackson  used  to 
own.  where  he  kept  a  grocery,  postoflice,  and  a  tavern,  free  for 
all  the  world  and  the  world's  wile.     Up  along  the  bank  of  the 
river  stood,  and  yet  stands,  the  building  occupied  as  a  store  by 
William  H.  Forbes,  the  St.  Paul  outfit;  next  was  a  little  log 
building,  the  nucleus  of  the  "  Central  House  ;"  next  the  old 
log   catholic  church,  where  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ravoux  faithfully 
labored,  and  sometimes  saw  miraculous  visions  during  the  time 
of  Lent ;  then  the  log-house  belonging  to  Mr.  Laroux,  which 
is  now  being  metamorphosed  into  a  neat  building.    This  brings 
us  back  to  Vetal's  the  junction  of  Third  and  Bench  streets. 
Half  a  dozen  other  buildings  along  Roberts  street,  and  Mr. 
Hoyt's  neighborhood,  in  addition  to  the  above,  constituted  St. 
Baul.     But  let  it  be  remembered  that  the  fashionable  drinking- 
place  then,  was  that  little  log-house  next  east  of  Goodrich's 
brick  store.     Mv.  Bass  was  busy  in  hurrying  up  a  new  saloon, 
the  building  lately  occupied  as  the  clerk's  office,  on  the  spot 
where   the   Jilinnesota   outfit   stands.     The   ground    west  of 
Roberts's,  and  north  of  IMiird  streets,  was  covered  with  any 
quantity  of  hewed  timber  stripped  from  the  forest  opposite 
town.     We  looked  abi^it  for  a  lot ;  and  saw  that  the  two  ends 
of  the  town  must  soon  unite  in  the  middle.     Along  the  lower 
end  of  Third  street,  owners  of  lots  had  the  coolness  to  ask 
from  one  hundred  to    two   hundred  dollars  a  lot.     Between 
Lambert's  and  where  the  Sligo  iron  store  is,  on  Third  street, 
the  price  was  seventy-five,  and  soon  after  ninety  dollars.     We 
bought  a  fractional  lot  with  Dr.  Dewey  ;  and  on  our  half  of  it, 
built  the  middle  section   of  the  building  where  the  Pioneer 
office  is,  for  a  dwelling-house,  and  lived  in  it  through  the  uext 
year,  without  having  it  lathed  or  plastered. 


ST.    PAUL  —  OlJIil  AUV   NOTICE. 


147 


"•But  to  return  a  little.  Wc  were  at  length  prepared  to 
isHuo  our  firsfnnniber.  We  had  no  ubKcrlhers  ;  for  then  there 
were  hut  a  handful  of  people  in  the  whole  territory  ;  and  the 
ninjority  of  those  were  Canadians  and  half-hreeds.  Not  a 
territorial  ofiieer  had  yet  arrived.  We  remember  present,  at 
the  date  of  our  first  issiie,  Mr.  Lull,  Mr.  Cavileer,  Mr.  Neill, 
and  perhaps  Major  Murphy.  The  people  wanted  no  politics, 
and  we  gave  them  none  ;  they  wanted  information  of  all  sorts 
about  Minnesota;  and  that  is  what  we  furnished  them  with. 
We  advocated  Minnesota,  morality,  and  religion,  from  the  be- 
ginning. William  B.  Brown  built  a  shell  of  a  building  (being 
the  south  end  of  the  Sligo  iron  store  now),  which  Mr.  Neill 
occupied  for  a  meetinghouse.  It  was  half  filled  with  hcearers 
on  Sundays;  for  Sunday  was  like  any  other  day,  or  perhaps 
rather  more  so. 

" '  This  town  grew  rapidly.  The  boats  came  up  loaded 
with  immigrants;  but  then,  as  now,  a  great  many  feeble, 
weak-hearted  folks,  were  frozen  out  and  went  back  down 
the  river,  not  being  made  of  the  right  stuff.  Mr.  Owens  came 
up  with  the  "  Register"  press,  from  Cincinnati,  one  number  of 
that  journal  having  been  piinted  in  that  city.  Colonel  James 
Ilughes  also  came  from  Ohio  with  the  "  Chronicle,"  which  was 
issued  soon  after,  from  the  building  where  "  The  Minnesotian" 
is  now  published.  Soon  after  the  Register,  by  M'Lean  & 
Owens,  was  issued  from  the  building  that  is  now  the  law-ofllce 
of  Simons  &  Masterson,  St.  Anthony  street.  After  a  few 
months,  the  Chronicle  and  Register  were  united  in  the  old 
Chronicle  office,  under  the  firm,  name,  and  style  of  Owens  & 
M'Lean  and  Hughes  &  Quay.  Mr.  Quay  soon  left  the  office  ; 
and  soon  after  Colonel  Hughes  sold  out,  and  Mr.  M'Lean 
became  sole  proprietor  of  both  offices,  and  Owens  editor; 
Major  M'Lean  being  appointed  Sioux  agent  at  Fort  Snelling.'  " 

A  short  period  before  the  deceased  v/as  confined  to  his  room 
lie  fell  from  his  ferry-boat  into  the  river,  and  had  to  use  great 
exertion  to  keep  from  drowning  ;  this,  in  connection  with  a 
mind  oppressed  by  the  cares  of  one  so  active  in  life,  is  sup- 
posed to  have  shortened  his  days  on  earth.    Not  long  after  he 


I!! 

iiliii 


;;, 

'1  ^l  i 

;     i;  [' 

I 

1 

J 

i;  I 


US 


MTNNK80TA   AND    ITS   EKSOUltCl':S. 


was  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  there  seemed  to  be  the  presentiment 
that  his  heart  might  have  commenced  "  beating  its  funeral 

march  to  the  grave." 

"  Some  days  before  he  died,  with  great  calmness  and  clear- 
ness of  mind,  he  conversed  with  the  nnnister.  whose  servjces 
he  attended  when  in  health.  In  looking  back  npon  Ins  lite, 
he  saw  much  to  regret.  He  acknowledged  Ins  unworthiness 
in  the  sight  of  Heaven,  and  hoped  that  he  had  placed  Ins 
trust  in  his  Redeemer.  He  was  desirous  to  live  in  order  that 
he  might  show  to  the  world  that  he  had  determined  to  act 
upon  new  resolutions.  To  the  last,  he  felt  an  interest  in  Min- 
nesota. During  his  sickness  he  was  patient,  and  freely  tor- 
gave  all  his  enemies.  . 

-  His  spirit  left  his  body,  on  Friday  evening,  August  27, 
1852.  at  half  past  eight  o'clock.  His  funeral  took  place  on 
Sunday  afternoon.  A  discourse  was  delivered  in  the  presby- 
terian  church,  to  the  largest  assembly  ever  convened  upon  a 
similar  occasion  in  Minnesota.  . 

-  The  legislative  assembly  of  1853  very  properly  recognised 
his  services  in  bringing  Minnesota  into  notice,  by  giving  ns 
name  to  one  of  the  new  counties  formed  out  of  the  recently- 
coded  Dakota  lauds." 


BT.  Anthony's  falls. 


149 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


PniNCIPAL    TOWNS    CONTINUED ST.    ANTIIONY's     FALLS 

DOUGLASS,    STILLWATER,    MENDOTA,    ETC. 


■POINT 


A  RIDE  of  an  hour  from  St.  Paul,  over  fine  country,  brings 
us  to  the  celebrated  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  a  place  of  great  re- 
sort for  visiters  from  the  cast  and  sunny  soutli.  In  the  way 
of  cataracts,  it  is  decidedly  the  glory  of  our  west  and  north- 
west. T)«e  pulse  of  the  traveller  seems  to  beat  quicker  as  he 
feels  himself  approaching  the  scene,  where  Father  Hennepin, 
i^f  old,  was  so  carried  away  with  admiration  as  to  call  the  red 
man's  fiills  after  his  patron-saint.  The  name  has  indeed  a 
kind  of  sacred  halo  about  it,  yet  we  love  the  more  sonorous 
and  far  more  a  propriate  appellation  of  the  Indians.  (The 
Dakotas  call  the  falls  "  Rara,"  from  irara,  to  laugh.) 

Long  before  coming  in  sight  of  the  grand  scene,  the  ear  is 
greeted  by  the  deep,  solemn  roar,  that  truly  resembles  the 
"  sound  of  many  watei-s."  It  seems,  indeed,  as  though  some 
miglity  strife  were  going  on  amid  the  elements  of  nature.  A 
strange  and  indescribable  feeling  steals  over  the  senses — a 
feeling  tliat  awakens  a  spirit  of  admiration  for  the  Almighty's 
liandiwork.  The  falls  at  length  burst  upon  the  enraptured 
view  —  the  noble  falls  of  St.  Anthony.  We  are  immediately 
impressed  with  the  peculiar  appropriateness  of  the  Indian's 
name,  as  he  gazes  on  the  "  laughing  waters."  One  is  not  here 
so  completely  overwhelmed  at  the  incomparable  Niagara,  with 
the  great  height  of  the  water's  fall,  their  deafening  roar,  or  the 
lofty  character  of  the  scenery.  St.  Antliony  is  more  within 
the  grasp  of  the  human  comprehension,  and  is  therefore  looked 
upon  witb  more  real  ploasv  ,  Niagara  appears  to  wear  a 
kind  of  threatening  frown,  while  the  former  greets  you  with  a 


150 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    RKSOUKCES. 


i    '  :  *;:i    i 


more  winning  and  coniplnccnt  smilo.'  Yot  on  account  of  the 
vast  body  of  -svatcr  continually  rnshinjjj  over  the  rocky  niaHS 
in  the  river's  bed,  tlie  scene  is  one  of  great  Hubliniity,  as  well 
as  one  of  beauty  and  loveliness.  As  we  gaze  on  the  scene, 
and  listen  to  the  warring  elements,  how  forcibly  are  we  im- 
pressed with  the  truth  of  Brainard's  beautiful  lines:  — 

"  And  whnt  are  we, 
That  hear  the  question  of  that  voice  sublime? 
O,  what  are  all  the  notes  that  ever  rung 
From  war's  vain  trumpet,  by  thy  thundering  side! 
Yes,  what  is  all  the  riot  man  can  make 
In  his  short  life,  to  thine  unceasing  roar! 
And  yet,  bold  babbler,  what  art  thou  to  Him 
Who  di-ownod  the  world,  and  heaped  the  waters  far 
Above  its  loftiest  mountain?     A  light  wave 
That  breaks  and  whispers  at  its  Maker's  might  1" 

The  Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  in  a  sermon  preached  in  1849, 
uses  this  language  in  relation  to  the  falls  :  — 

"  I  visited  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony.     I  know  not  how  other 
men  feel  when  standing  there,  nor  how  men  will  feel  a  century 
hence,  when  standing  there  — then,  not  in  the  west,  hut  almost 
in  the  centre  of  our  great  nation.     But  when  I  stood  there, 
and  reflected  on  the  distance  between  that  and  tlie  place  of  my 
birth  and  my  home;  on  the  prairies  over  which  I  had  passed ; 
and  the  stream  — the  'Father  of  Rivers'  — up  which  I  had 
sailed  some  live  hundred  miles,  into  a  new  and  unsettled  land 
—  where  the  children  of  the  forest  still  live  and  roam  — I  had 
views  of  the  greatness  of  my  country,  such  as  I  have  never 
had  in  the  crowded  capitals  and  the  smiling  villages  of  the 
east.     Far  in  the  distance  did  they  then  seem  to  be,  and  there 
came  over  the  soul  the  idea  of  greatness  and  vastness,  Avhich  no 
fi-ures,  no  description,  had  ever  conveyed  to  my  mind.     To  an 
inexperienced  traveller,  too,  how  strange  is  the  appearance  of 
all  that  land!     Those  boundless  prairies  seem  as  if  they  had 
been  cleared  by  the  patient  labor  of  another  race  of  men,  re- 
moving all  the  forests,  and  roots,  and   stumps,  and  brambles, 
and  smoothing'  them  down  as  if  with  mighty  rollers,  and  sowing 
them  with  grass  and  flowers  ;  a  race  which  then  passed  away, 


ST.  Anthony's  falls. 


161 


having  built  no  liouscs  of  their  own,  and  made  no  fences,  and 
8(!t  out   no    trees,  and  estahlislied  no  landmarks,  to  lay  tho 
foundation  of  any  future  claim.     Tiie  mounds  which  you  here 
and  there  see,  look,  indeed,  as  if  a  portion  of  thorn  had  died 
and  had   been    buried   there;    but  those   mounds    and    those 
boundless  fields  had  been  forsaken  together.     You  ascend  the 
JMississippi  amid   scenery  unsurpassed   in  beauty  probably  in 
the  world.     You  see   the  waters  making  their  way  along  an 
interval  of  from  two  to   four  miles  in  width,  between  bluffs 
of  from  one  to  five  hundred  feet  in  height.     Now  the  river 
makes  its  way  along  the  eastern  range  of  bluffs,  and  now  the 
western,  and  now  in  the  centre,  and  now  it  divides  itself  into 
numerous    channels,  form.ing  thousands  of  beautiful    islands, 
covered  with  long  grass  ready  for  the  scythe  of  the  mower. 
Those  bluffs,  rounded  with  taste  and  skill,  such  as  could  be 
imitated  by  no  art  of  man,  and  set  out  with  trees  here  and 
there,  gracefully  arranged  like  orchards,  seem  to  have  been 
sown  with  grain  to  the  summit,  and  are  clothed  with  beautiful 
green.     You  look  out  instinctively  for  the  house  and  barn  ; 
for  flocks  and  herds ;  for  men,  and  women,  and  children  ;  but 
they  are  not  there.     A  race  that  is  gone  seems  to  have  culti- 
vated those  fields,  and  then  to  have  silently  disappeared  — 
leaving  them  for  the  first  man  that  should  come  from  the  older 
parts   of   our   own   country,   or   from  foreign  lands,  to  take 
possession  of  them.     It  is  only  by  a  process  of  reflection  that 
you  are  convinced  that  it  is  not  so.     But  it  is  not  the  work  of 
man.     It  is  God   who  has  done  it,  when  there  was  no  man 
there  .ave  the  wandering  savage,  alike  ignorant  and  uncon- 
cerned as  to  the  design  of  the  great  processes  in  the  land 
where  he  roamed  —  God  who  did  all  this,  that  he  might  prepare 
it  for  the  abode  of  a  civilized  and  Christian  people." 

The  direction  of  the  Mississippi  at  this  place,  and  for 
several  nules  above,  is  nearly  south.  Opposite  the  village 
three  islands,  lying  nearly  in  a  straight  line,  one  above  the 
other,  divide  the  river  into  two  parts  —  the  largest  body  of 
water  flowing  on  the  right  hand  of  the  islands.  The  upper 
island  is  small,  containing  less  than  ten  acres  of  land,  and  is 
Btill  uncultivated,  though  the  trees  with  which  it  was  but  a 


152 


MINNESOTA    AND    ITS    RE30UKCi:S. 


^ 

n&s 

i 

W\i 

short  time  since  densely  covered,  are  fast  disappearing,  and 
it  will  soon  be  brought  under  tribute  to  the  husbandman. 

The  second  island  is  some  eight  or  ten  rods  below,  and 
contains  about  forty  acres.  It  is  a  beautiful  spot  of  ground, 
covered  thickly  with  a  great  variety  of  thrifty  timber,  among 
which  the  sugar-maple  is  conspicuous.  The  banks  are  high, 
b(dd  and  rocky  on  the  upper  end,  gradually  descending  at  the 
lower  almost  to  the  water's  edge.  Near  the  middle  of  the 
island  a  small  bluff  rises  some  ten  or  fifteen  feet  high,  with  a 
slope  as  nicely  and  beautifully  turned  as  if  it  had  been  the 
work  of  art.  It  forms  a  semicircular  curve  at  the  lower  end, 
gradually  widening  toward  the  upper,  making  one  of  the 
most  charming  building-sites  that  can  be  imagined.  Near  the 
lower  end  of  this  island  commence  the  rapids  in  the  main 
stream,  the  water  foaming,  bounding,  and  dashing  over  the 
rocks,  which  lie  scattered  across  the  bed  of  the  stream  as  far 
as  the  falls. 

Franklin  Steele,  Esq.,  owns  this  island,  having  entered  it 
in  1848,  as  soon  as  it  was  surveyed.  It  is  considered  valuable 
property,  the  proprietor  having  been  offered  four  thousa^id  dol- 
lars for  one  half  of  it. 

The  third  island  lies  immediately  below,  so  near  the  last- 
mentioned  that  they  were  formerly  connected  by  a  slight 
bridge.  It  contains,  on  a  rough  estimate,  some  fifteen  acres, 
tind  is  not  yet  surveyed.  A  small  house  has  been  erected 
upon  it  by  the  mill  company,  as  a  pre-emption  claim.  On 
each  side  of  this  island  are  the  falls  of  St.  xinthony.  Below 
the  falls  are  two  small  islands,  near  the  right  shore.  The  falls 
of  the  main  channel  are  several  rods  above  those  on  this 
side,  the  greater  volume  of  water  having  worn  away  the  soft 
crumbling  rock  much  faster.  The  rccedence  of  the  falls  on 
both  si'les  is  so  rapid  as  to  be  almost  yearly  perceptible  ; 
making  the  suppositions  of  some  geologists  highly  plausible, 
that  originally  they  were  as  low  as  Fort  Snelling.  During 
the  high  water  of  1850,  huge  masses  of  rocks  were  torn  from 
the  islands  washed  by  the  falls,  and  carried  a  considerable 
distance  down  the  river;  lai-ge  blocks  of  sand  and  limestone 
detached  from  the  ledge  of  rock  over  whic'   the  water  is  pre- 


ST.    ANI'HONY  S    FALLS. 


163 


cipltated  ;  and  altogether,  tlie  falls  underwent  a  greater  cliangc 
than  had  been  obHorved  tor  many  years. 

Franklin   Steele,  Norman  W.  Kittson,  and  Mr.  Stiimhoufrh, 
made  a  claim   on  lands  in  this  vicinity,  as  early  as   1836  or 
1^:j7,  soon  after  the  Indian  title  was  obtniued  by  government. 
^J'he  land,  however,  was  not  surveyed  and  entered  till  1848. 
Charles  Wilson  seems  to  have  been  the  first  American  who 
ever  made  a  permanent  residence  here,  having  arrived  in  the 
spring  of  1847.     There  vvas  then  but  one  house  in  the  place, 
standing  on  the  bluff  some  thirty  rods  below  the  mills,  and 
built   of  logs.      Roving  Frenchmen   and  trappers  may  have 
temporarily  resided  here  previously,   but  not  as  permavient 
settlers.     Mrs.  Ard  Godfrey  may  claim  the  honor  of  having 
given  birth  to  the  first  of  the  fair  daughters  of  St.  Anthony  ; 
and  her  husband,  A.  Godfrey,  Esq.,  that  of  having  commenced 
the  first  improvement  of  the  water  pow  er  at  the  falls.     Under 
his  superintendence,  in  the  fall  of  1847,  the  dam  and  saw-mills 
owned  by  the  St.  Anthony  mill  company,  were  begun,  and  the 
iirst  saw  put  in  operation  in  August,  1848.     Others  were  com- 
pleted   soon   after,  making   eight  saws  now  running,   of  an 
average  capacity  of  six  thousand  feet  each  per  day.     11.  P. 
Russell,  Esq.,  erected  the  first  frame  dwelling  in  the  town,  in 
1847,  and  opened  the  first  store.     There  are  at  present  four 
organized  churches — presby  terian,  episcopalian,  methodist,  and 
baptist.     Two  school  districts,  known  as  Nos.  5  and  6,  were 
organized  in  the  village  in  1850.     In  addition  to  the  public 
schov.1.8  taught   in   these   districts,   several   flourishing   select 
schools  have  been  maintained  since  1850.     The  whole  popu- 
lation of  the  place  may  be  safely  estimated  at  two  thousand 

souls. 

The  legislature,  in  1851,  passed  "  An  act  to  incorporate  the 
University  of  Minnesota  at  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony."  The 
law  provides  that  "  the  proceeds  of  all  lands  that  may  here- 
after be  granted  by  the  United  States  to  the  territory,  for  the 
support  of  a  university,  shall  be  and  remain  a  perpetual  fund 
to  be  called  the  '  University  fund,'  the  interest  of  which  shall 

D6  appropnatcu  to  ihQ  sup^un,  ^i  «  «us,,....--^ . 

further  provides  that  the  object  of  the  university  shall  be  "  to 

7* 


I  i' 


4 


■^H 

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^^B 

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I'^^^l 

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i^H 

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13^^^^^^^^^^-^' 

j|B 

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M 

154 


M1NNJ;SC)TA    AND    ITS    UIvS'OUUCKS. 


provido  tlic  iiili.'iliit.intH  of  tliis  tniitory  with  tlic  menus  of 
ac'(|uirii'{^  a  tlioit»ii}^li  kiutwlcclj^c  <if  the  vjirutiis  hrutichos  of 
litt'ratino,  sc'iciu'is  and  the,  arts;"  and  tliat  "  the  government 
of  the  nniv(!rsity  sliall  he  vested  in  a  hoaril  of  twelve  regents, 
Avho  shall  he  elected  hy  the  legislatnre,"  and  whose  duties  are 
j)re8cril»ed  in  said  law.  "The  university  shall  consist  of  tivo 
(lej)}irtuientH,  to  wit :  science,  literature,  and  the  arts,  a  de2)art- 
nient  of  law  anil  medicine,  the  theory  and  practice  of  elemen- 
tary instruction,  and  the  departmeift  of  agriculture." 

The  university  shall  be  located  at  the  "  Falls  of  St.  An- 
thony." "Tiio  regents  shall  make  a  report  annually  to  the 
legislature,  exhihit'j.g  the  state  and  progress  of  the  university 
in  its  several  dei»artments,  the  course  of  study,  the  number  of 
professors  and  students,  the  amount  of  expenditures  and  such 
other  informatioii  as  they  may  deem  proper,"  etc.  On  the 
fcmrth  of  JMareh,  1851,  the  legislature  met  in  joint  convention 
and  elected  the  following  gentlemen  as  regents  for  said  uni- 
versity, to  wit : — 

Alexander  Ramsey,  Henry  11.  Sibley,  C.  K.  Smith,  Henry 
M.  Rice,  W,  R.  ]\[arshall,  Franklin  Steele,  Isaac  Atwater,  B.  B. 
Meeker,  A.  Van  Vorhees,  Socrates  Nelson,  N.  C.  D.  Taylor, 
and  J.  W.  Furber. 

The  board  of  regents  met  at  St.  Anthony,  October,  1851,  for 
the  transaction  of  business.  The  subject  of  the  removal  of  the 
present  site  of  the  university  engaged  the  attention  of  the 
board.  It  has  been  thought  by  some  of  the  friends  of  the 
university  that  its  present  location  is  in  closer  proximity  to  the 
business,  and  especially  the  manufacturing  carried  on  in  town, 
than  would  be  desirable  for  a  seat  of  learning.  The  subject 
has  been  referred  to  a  committee  for  examination,  and  to 
report  whether  any  more  eligible  site  can  be  obtained  'in  the 
vicinity  of  St.  Anthony. 

The  two  townships  of  land  donated  by  Congress  to  the 
university,  have  not  yet  been  located.  It  was  thought  advisa- 
ble to  defer  the  location  till  after  the  ratification  of  the  Indian 
treaties,  in  order  that  wider  range  might  be  afforded  to  make 
a  selection  most  fav'orable  to  the  interests  of  the  institution. 
The  matter  is  one  of  great  consequence  to  the  interests  of  the 


liAW 


ST.    ANTHONY. 


166 


I 


iinlvoiHity,  nnd  will  loceivo  the  attention  of  tlic  ragents  as 
early  as  jjiacticable. 

One  of  the  first  Htcps  taken  Ly  tlio  board  of  regents,  in  be- 
half of  the  university,  was  the  establlshnicnt  of  a  preparatory 
department.  This  Is  now  in  a  flourishing  condition.  It  is 
under  the  direction  of  Prof.  E.  W.  Merrill,  a  gentleman  of  much 
experience  and  success  in  teaching.  It  was  opened  for  the 
reception  of  students  November  2Gtli,  1851.  Since  that  time 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  students  have  been  connected  with 
the  institution.  The  number  has  been  steadily  increasing 
eacli  term,  the  present  numbering  eighty-five  pupils.  It  is 
gratifying  to  observe  that  an  interest  is  felt  in  the  institution 
in  different  parts  of  the  territory.  Several  students  from 
abroad,  have  recently  availed  themselves  of  the  advantages 
it  affords. 

There  have  been  six  students  pursuing  the  study  of  the 
languages,  seventeen  algebra  and  geometry,  sixteen  physiology, 
the  same  number  book-keeping,  twenty-nine  philosophy,  and 
six  astronomy.  The  books  used  are  the  same  as  recommended 
by  the  superintendent  of  public  instruction. 

No  provision  has  yet  been  made  for  procuring  apparatus 
suitable  for  the  illustration  of  the  natural  sciences,  and  experi- 
ments therein.  Great  inconvenience  is  experienced  from  this 
cause.  I3y  a  resolution  of  the  board  of  regents,  all  the  ex- 
penses connected  with  the  preparatory  department,  are  de- 
frayed by  private  subscription.  Many  of  the  friends  of  educa- 
tion have  already  contributed  generously  toward  this  object. 
But  it  is  believed  there  are  others,  who  would  only  need  to  be 
informed  that  the  want  above  alluded  to  is  felt,  to  cheerfully 
contribute  the  means  for  furnishing  the  necessary  apparatus. 

The  town  of  St.  Anthony  now  contains  over  two  thousand 
inhabitants,  and  is  most  beautifully  picturesque  in  its  position. 
It  contains  beautiful  building  sites,  and  now  boasts  several 
elegantly-built  cottages,  which  would  do  honor  to  any  city  of 
the  Union.  Its  rapidly  increasing  bushiess,  and  population, 
together  with  its  magnificent  water  power  for  manufacturing 
purposes,  uetukcu  iiiiuiiici  liuwcn,  lo  iivdi -.j^itt  ^.z^^,  ^^i^^i- — . 
Massachusetts. 


156 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS    RKSOURCKS. 


Stillwater  wns  first  settled,  October  10,  1843,  by  John. 
M'Kusick,  formerly  from  Maine;  Elam  Greely,  from  Maine; 
Calvin  F.  Leach  from  Vermont,  and  Elias  M'Kean,  from 
Pennsylvania,  proprietors  of  the  Stillwater  Lnmber  Company; 
Laving  selected  this  site  on  acconnt  of  its  valuable  water- 
power,  for  the  erection  of  a  saw-mill,  -which  was  put  in  opera- 
tion early  in  the  spring  of  1844.  The  simple  board  shantiea 
of  the  first  settlers,  together  with  the  mill,  remained  the 
only  buildings  in  the  place  until  the  fall  of  1844,  when  the 
first  frame  house  was  built  by  A.  Northrup  for  a  tavern  stand. 

From  this  time,  the  place  steadily  grew  in  importance.  In 
1846,  a  postoffice  was  established,  and  Elam  Greely  appointed 
postmaster.  In  1848,  the  town  Avas  laid  out  by  John  M'Ku- 
sick,  one  of  the  proprietors  thereof.  About  this  time  the 
county  commissioners  authorized  the  building  of  a  courthouse 
at  this  place,  which  was  completed  in  1850.  A  schoolhouse 
was  also  built  in  1848,  schools  having  been  established  as  early 
as  1846,  and  held  in  private  houses.  A  presbyterian  church, 
being  the  first  in  the  town,  was  erected  in  1850. 

The  settlement  of  the  Areola  mill,  which  ranks  next  in 
age,  was  commenced  in  1846,  by  Martin  Mower,  W.  H.  C. 
Folsom,  formerly  from  Maine ;  and  Joseph  Brewster,  from 
New  York,  who  erected  a  saw-mill  at  this  point.'  Since  which 
many  other  buildings  have  been  built,  which,  together  with 
the  mill,  gives  this  place  the  appearance  of  a  thriving  little 
village. 

The  first  settlement  of  Washington  county  was  commenced 
in  1837,  at  v»'hat  is  called  Taylor's  falls — by  Baker,  Taylor, 
,and  others  of  the  Northwest  Lumber  Company.  About  Avhich 
,time,  the  government  treaty,  with  the  Sioux  and  ChippeAva 
Indians  was  concluded  for  the  land,  the  Sioux  owning  the 
soutliern,  and  the  Chippewas  the  northern  portion  of  the  land 
in  this  county.  July  17th,  1838,  the  treaty  being  ratified  by 
Congress,  consequently  several  settlements  were  commenced 
about  that  time.  Several  by  the  French,  along  the  shores  of 
Lake  St.  Croix,  as  well  as  the  more  important  settlements  of 
the  Marine  and  Falls  of  St.  Croix. 

The  first  steamboat  that  navigated  the  river  St.  Croix  was 


STILLWATKR. 


157 


tlio  Palmyi-ca,  July  17tli,  1838,  liaving  on  board  the  original 
proprietors  of  the  Marine  and  Falls  of  St.  Croix  saw-mills, 
together  with  their  necessary  supplies  and  machinery,  for  the 
erection  of  the  mills  at  those  places. 

The  settlement  of  the  Marine  mills  was  commenced  in  1838, 
hy  Samuel  Burkleo,  formerly  of  the  state  of  Delaware,  Orange 
Walker,  from  Vermont,  and  others  of  the  Marine  Lumber  Oom- 
l)auy,  who  succeeded  in  erecting  a  good  saw-mill,  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  pine  lumber.  Other  buildings  of  difierent  kinds 
have  since  been  built,  together  with  one  large  and  commodious 
tavern  stand.  This  place  is  a  business  point  of  Considerable 
importance. 

At  this  time,  the  jurisdiction  of  Crawford  county,  Wisconsin 
te/ritory,  extended  over  all  this  territory  northwest  from  Prairie 
du  Chien.  Joseph  R.Brown  was  chosen  representative  to  the 
legislative  assembly  of  Wisconsin,  to  represent  the  wants  of 
the  population ;  and,  among  the  many  representations  of  the 
wants  of  the  people,  was  the  organization  of  a  new  county, 
which  was  granted  by  the  legislature  in  1841,  as  will  be  seen 
by  their  act,  November  20,  entitled  "An  act  to  organize  the 
county  of  St.  Croix."  At  the  time  prescribed  by  law  for  hold- 
ing the  court,  up  came  the  judge  to  hold  the  court  at  the  seat 
of  justice  ;  and  on  arriving  at  Dakota,  the  seat  of  justice,  to  his 
great  astonishment,  the  only  building  in  the  town  was  a  rough 
log-cabin,  occupied  by  a  lone  Frenchman,  who  it  appears  was 
employed  by  the  proprietor  of  the  town  to  take  care  of  the 
county-seat  in  his  absence.  This  kind  of  reception  not  meet- 
ing the  expectations  of  rhe  judge,  he  very  naturally  took  back 
tracks,  and  thus  ended  the  judicial  proceedings  for  St.  Croix 
county.  It  was  soon  after  attached  to  Crawford  county,  where 
it  remained  until  1847,  when  it  was  again  organized  for  ju- 
dicial purposes,  and  the  county-seat  established  at  Stillwater, 
wiiere  the  first  United  States  district  court  was  liolden  in  what 
is  now  Minnesota  territory,  being  the  June  term  of  1848. 
There  being  no  courthouse,  the  court  was  held  at  the  store 
of  John  M'Kusick,  by  the  Hon.  Charles  Dunn,  judge  of  said 
court. 


i!ll 


158 


l^ITNNESOTA    AND   ITS   I'ESOtTRCES. 


ToiNT  Douglas  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Mississippi 
and  Lake  St.  Croix.     In  1839,  ten  acres  of  the  present  town- 
site  were  ch-iimed  by  Mv.  Joseph  Mozoe,  who  erected  and  oc- 
cupied the  first  house  (a  log-cabin,  now  standing  on  the  bank 
of  the  river)  in  the  present  town ;   and,  in  1840,  Mr.  Calvin 
Tuttlc  became  the  purchaser  of  this  land,  who  extended  his 
claim  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  was  subsequently, 
in  the  year  1844,  sold  to  Messrs.  Burris  &  Hertzell,  merchants 
of  this  place.     In  1839,  Mr.  Joseph  Langtoe  claimed  about  ten 
acres  of  land   adjoining  the  above,  which  was  subsequently 
sold  to  Captain  Frazier,  Avho  increased  the  amount  to  eighty 
acres,  which  was,  in  1843,  sold  to  Burris  &  Hertzell,  and  in 
1844  purchased  by  Mr.  David  Hone  —  this  latter  gentleman 
having  at  this  time,  adjoining  the  village,  about  one  hundred 
and  ninety  acres  of  land,  which  he  has  by  industry  and  good 
management  succeeded  in  putting  under  fence  and  in  a  good 
state  of  cultivation  ;  which  has  produced,  for  several  successive 
years,  crops  that  will  average  to  the  acre,  of  AVheat,  forty  bush- 
els ;   corn,  forty  bushels  ;  barley,  forty -five  bushels  ;   potatoes, 
two  to  three  hundred  bushels — all  of  which,  owing  to  the  great 
home  demand,  has  realized  a  profitable  return  for  the  labor 
expended.     Other  gentlemen  in  the  neighborhood  have  been 
equally  successful  in  raising  crops,  although  on  a  smaller  scale. 
The  lands  lying  between  the  river  and  Lake  St.  Croix  are  of 
fine  quality,  and  filling  up  with  an  industrious  and  intelligent 
class  of  citizens,  who  appear  determined  to  test  fully  the  char- 
acter of  the  soil,  and  provide  for  themselves  and  families  at 
least  a  comfortable  home. 

In  the  year  1849,  the  town  was  surveyed  and  laid  out  in 
lots  of  fifty  feet  front  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  deep,  the 
streets  running  at  right  angles,  and  generally  fifty  feet  wide. 
The  land  rises  gradually  from  the  Mississippi  river,  which  is 
its  southern  and  principal  front,  until  it  reaches  the  base  of  a 
gradually-rising  hill,  the  summit  of  which  is  about  one  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  summit  or  level  of  the  lake  and  river. 
From  this  elevation  a  very  extensive  and  interesting  prospect 
may  be  had  of  the  lake,  the  lands  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  the  fine  lands  of  Wisconsin.     The  eastern 


Tin 


FORT   SNl^LLTNG. 


169 


front,  or  lake  side  of  this  town,  from  its  elevated  position,  will 
Ik'  tli(^  most  agreeable  and  pleasant  for  ffirnily  residence;  the 
surface  being  gently  rolling,  and  affording  easy  grades  for 
draining  the  town,  and  having  suflicient  timber,  Avhich  can  bo 
turned  to  good  acconnt  in  ornamenting  and  shading  the  streets 
and  residences. 

To  those  in  search  of  health  and  pleasure,  Point  Douglas 
and  surrounding  country  present  many  attractions;  the  fine 
air,  the  beautiful  lake  where  fish  of  various  kind  abound,  and 
where  those  b\  quest  of  aquatic  excursions  can  nowhere  find  a 
more  suitable  field  for  such  enjoyments. 

A  visit  to  Vermillion  river  and  falls  is  no  less  attractive : 
the  river  winding  its  way  unseen  through  an  extensive  and 
beautiful  prairie  until  within  a  short  distance  of  the  precipice, 
then  rushing  with  aP  the  wild  confusion  of  a  Niagara  or  St. 
Anthony  over  craggy  and  disjointed  rocks  of  about  one  hun- 
dred feet  in  depth  until  it  reaches  the  river  below,  and  finally 
finds  a  rest  in  the  bosom  of  the  F.ather  of  Waters  one  mile 
ab  ive  this  town ;  the  river  above  and  below  the  falls  affording 
fish  of  fine  quality,  such  as  trout,  bass,  pickerel,  chub,  &c.  A 
ride  of  a  few  miles  to  Hush  river,  in  Wisconsin,  through  a  fer- 
tile country  of  woodland  and  prairie,  is  no  less  inviting  to 
those  in  search  of  piscatorial  enployment,  abounding,  as  do 
other  rivers  and  lakes  of  the  country,  with  fish  of  excellent 
quality.  • 

The  late  appropriations  of  Congress  for  improvements  within 
the  territory,  makes  Point  Douglas  the  starting-point  of  two 
principal  roads:  one  to  Fond  du  Lac,  on  Lake  Superior;  the 
other  to  Fort  Ripley,  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  above,  on 
the  Mississippi  river. 


'  I! 


I 


Fort  Snelling  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Minne- 
sota and  Mississippi  rivers,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi. 
I'hc  buildings  of  the  garrison  are  upon  a  high  bluff,  probably 
two  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water  in  the  rivers, 
and  which  stretches  to  the  north  and  west  in  a  gently-undula- 
ting and  very  fertile  prairie,  interspersed  here  and  there  with 
groves  of  heavy  timber.     The  steamboat-landing  of  Fort  Snel- 


160 


MINNESOTA  AND  ITS  EESOFRCES. 


itj  ! 


ling  is  directly  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota,  from 
whicli  a  low  island  extends  about  two  and  a  half  miles  down 
the  Mississippi. 

.AIr.MM)TA,  which  lies  about  half  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of 
the  Minnesota,  has  been  for  many  years  a  trading-post  of  the 
American  Fur  Company,  and  is  still  a  dep6t  of  goods  and  pro- 
visions for  the  supply  of  the  traders,  who,  at  this  time,  have 
]»en;  trated  much  farther  into  the  Indian  country.     But  it  has, 
till  b-itoly,  been  included  in  the  military  reserve  of  Fort  Snel- 
ling.     It  has  not  attained  that  degree  of  prosperity  so  remark- 
able in  the  viUages  of  St.  Paul  and^  St.  Anthony,  and  which 
its  far  more  favorable  position  might  justly  have  secured  for  it. 
From  tlie  summit  of  Pilot  Knob,  which  lies  back  of  Mendota, 
a  view  may  be  obtained  of  the  surrounding  country  as  far  as 
the  eye  can  grasp,  affording  to  the  spectator  a  sight  of  one  of 
the  most  charming  natural  pictures  to  be  found  in  this  territory, 
so  justly  celebrated  for  scenic  beauty.     The  view  describes  a 
circle  of  eight  or  nine  miles — a  grand   spectacle  of  rolling 
prairie,  extended  plain  and  groves,  the  valley  of  the  Minne- 
sota with  its  meandering  stream,  a  bird's-eye  view  of  Fort 
Snelling,  Lake  Harriet  in  the  distance  —  the  town  of  St.  An- 
thony juyt  visible  throngh  the  nooks  of  the  intervening  groves, 
and  St.  Paul,  looking  like  a  city  set  upon  a  hill,  its  build- 
ings and  spires  distinctly  visible,  and  presenting  in  appearance 
the  distant  view  of  a  city  containing  a  population  of  one  hun- 
dred thousand  human  beings. 

Besides  the  older  and  larger  towns,  there  are  ma,ny  geiyninal 
cells,  along  Jie  navigable  streams,  hastening  into  existence.  We 
have  on  the  Mississippi,  Wabashaw,  Minnesota  city,  Red  Wing, 
Hastings,  Mendota,  and  perhaps  others  unintentionally  omit- 
ted. Then  on  the  Minnesota  river  are  Shakopee,  Le  Sueur, 
and  Traverse  des  Sioux.  And  yet  above  these,  at  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  Blue-Earth  and  Minnesota,  in  the  foreground  of  a 
most  charming  picture  of  varied  and  picturesque  scenery,  stands 
the  fair  beginning  of  the  future  city  of  Mankato. 


AGKTCULTURE,    MANUFACTURES,    fiTO. 


161 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE    AGRICULTURAL    RESOURCES    OF    THE    TERRITORY,    MANUFAC- 
TURES,   ETC. 

Those  wlio  rare  clesiroiis  of  removing  to  a  new  country  onglit 
to  prefer  Minnesota  for  the*  business  of  farming.     To  begin 
with,  if  you  are  of  thrt  incorrigible  class  of  persons  who  have 
taken  it  into  their  brains  that  no  part  of  this  great  globe  is 
habitable,  by  reason  of  the  cold,  to  a  higher  degree  of  latitude 
than  about  forty  degrees  north,  we  have  no  use  for  you.     Stay 
in  your  doorless  cabins,  and  go  shivering  about  in  your  thin, 
slazy  garments  of  jeans,  through  the  mingled  frost  and  mud^ 
and  tlie  icy  sleet  and  chilling  fogs  of  that  most  execrable  of 
all  climates  —  an  hermaphrodite  region,  half-tropical  and  half- 
frigid —  a  cross  of  the  north   pole  upon  the  equator.     Stay 
where  you  are.     We  want  here  a  race  of  men  of  higher  physi- 
cal and  mental  powers,  of  more  meat  and  muscle,  of  more  force 
and  energy.     The  whole  of  the  British  islands — the  nursery 
of  that  vigorous  stock  of  the  human  family,  which,  first  taking 
root  in  tiie  rocky  shore  of  the  Atlantic,  has,  in  two  hundred 
years,  uprooted  tlie  forests  filled  with  barbarous  Indians,  and, 
like  the  prolific  locust-tree,  spread  wider  and  wider  its  annual 
shoots,  until  its  shadows  are  reflected  from  the  Pacific  —  those 
British  islands  lie  more  than  five  degrees  north  of  St.  Paul. 
The  whole  of  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  Belgium,  Holland, 
and  a  part  of  France,  lie  north  of  the  extreme  northern  bound- 
ary of  IMinnesota.     We   are   now  addressing  those   over  the 
whole  globe  who  have  been  invigorated  by  the  cold.     I  do  not 
know  where  to  look  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  as  far  south  even 
as  latitude  thirty-nine  degrees,  for  a  race  of  people  who  would 


if 


II 


162 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


^  ■  '/■ 


he  worth  having  in  Minnesota.  We  can  dispense  with  the 
rusty  Spaniard,  the  idle  Italian,  the  stupid  Turk  ;  but  we  want 
all  the  middle,  northwestern,  and  eastern  states,  and  all  the 
people  of  the  islands  and  the  continent  of  the  north  of  Europe 
to  know  what  advantages  Minnesota  offers  to  them. 

We  take  it  as  an  axiom,  that  individuals  and  states  must  be 
supplied  with  mainsprings.  A  man  will  last  longer  uptfti  a 
treadwhoel  than  rusting  out  in  a  dungeon.  The  hard-fisted 
Yankee,  who  wars  through  his  lifetime  with  Nature,  to  win  a 
little  field  among  the  ledges  of  New  Hampshire,  outlives  two 
or  three  generations  of  "  suckers,"  who  settle  down  on  the  fer- 
tile bottoms  of  the  Illinois,  amid  vast  savannas  of  Indian  corn. 
The  Yankee  is  neie?-  satisfied  while  anybody  in  the  world  has 
a  better  house  or  better-educated  children  than  his  own. 
Whenever  Nature  po;u?  profusion  into  the  lap  of  man — when 
results  come  without  exertion — man  ceases  effort,  and  his 
powers  are  no  longer  developed.  This  is  the  inevitable  result, 
to  individuals  and  to  states.  Nature  spoils  her  children  by 
enriching  them.  This  result  is  the  surest  in  a  rich,  southern 
soil,  as  the  climate  itself,  as  well  as  the  profusion  of  Nature's 
supplies,  invite  to  indolence  and  ease.  The  honey-bee,  taken 
to  the  tropics,  it  is  said,  will  provide  stores  for  one  winter; 
but,  after  that,  is  as  improvident  as  a  house-fly. 

This  is  a  condition  of  things  not  to  be  found  in  Minnesota. 
The  length  of  the  winter  and  the  invigorating  climate  invite 
man  to  exercise.  He  seeks  for  it — has  an  appetite  for  it,  as 
much  as  an  Englishman  has  for  roast-beef,  or  for  a  tramp  with 
his  gun.  His  powers  are  all  right;  he  has  a  good  boiler  in 
him,  and  steam  to  work  off. 

The  human  family  never  has  accomplished  anything  worthy 
of  note,  besides  the  erection  of  the  pyramids,  those  milestones 
of  ancient  centuries,  south  of  latitude  forty  north.  The  his- 
tory of  THE  WORLD  is  Written  chiefly  above  that  parallel. 
South  of  it  existed  slavery,  in  one  or  another  form,  always,  to 
a  great  extent,  in  both  ancient  and  modern  times;  and  wher- 
ever Consumption  contrives  to  place  a  saddle  upori  the  back 
of  Production,  and  ride,  there  will  be  want  and  wrrlcl;edncss,' 
for  Nature  has  ordained  it,  for  the  true  welfare  of  mini,  that 


AGRICULTURE,   MANUFACTURES,   ETC. 


163 


every  human  being  sliall  labor,  in  some  honest  and  useful  vo- 
cation. 

But  there  are  prejudices  against  our  climate.  Some  insist 
u|)ou  it  tliat  we  can  not  raise  Indian  corn.  Show  them  pro- 
litic  fields  of  it,  as  we  now  can  hundreds,  the  naked  ears  glit- 
tering like  gold  in  the  mellow  sunshine  of  autumn,  and  the 
ground  Ijeneath  almost  paved  with  yellow  pumpkins,  and  yet 
tlicy  look  incredulous,  and  shako  their  heads,  and  say  :  "  It 
won't  do.  I  was  here  last  June,  and  your  springs  are  too  late. 
You  can't  make  cawn-craj)  i/here,  no  how  you  can  fix  it,  stran- 
ger !"  These  wise  people  have  a  theory  that  maize  is  adapted 
solely  to  the  latitude  they  came  from ;  and  they  are  as  stub- 
born in  maintaining  it  as  the  geologists  are  in  their  theory  that 
tliere  can  be  no  mineral  coal  north  of  the  Illinois  coal-beds; 
although  it  is  actually  found  here,  in  various  localities,  ranging 
south  from  the  CroAv-Wing  river  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the 
Blue-Earth,  of  the  most  admirable  quality.  If  we  could  not 
raise  Indian  corn,  wx  should  remember  that,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  part  of  Italy  and  Spain,  all  populous  Europe  subsists 
very  well  without  it.  But  maize,  I  admit,  is  the  cereal  crop 
of  America.  I  subscribe  to  all  Mr.  Clay's  beautiful  eulogium 
upon  it;  and  perhaps  the  most  valuable  quality  of  this  grain 
is  its  adaptation  to  hmgitudcs  rather  than  latitudes.  There  is 
not  an  Esquimaux  Indian  basking  by  his  lakeside  in  the  sun- 
shine of  his  brief,  hot  summer,  who  can  not  raise  and  ripen  one 
variety  or  another  of  maize.  From  the  d«lta  of  the  Mississippi 
to  the  remotest  spring-branch  that  supplies  Lake  Itasca,  the 
head  of  the  river,  this  crop  can  be  raised,  and  is  raised  and 
ripened  every  year.  What  folly,  then,  to  contradict  these  pal- 
})able  facts !  The  same  reasoning  applies  to  wheat ;  yet,  in 
fact,  we  live  too  far  south  for  sure  crops  of.  winter  wheat. 
Those  choice  wheat-lands  of  Europe,  on  the  shores  of  the  Bal- 
tic, are  far  north  of  us.  At  Red  river,  many  hundred  miles 
north  of  St.  Paul,  they  raise  better  wheat  than  ever  goes  into 
tlie  markets  of  Milwaukee  or  Chicago.  There  is  not  a  plant 
of  any  description,  raised  in  Wisconsin,  that  does  not  ripen 
licrc.  We  have  tomatoes  here,  abundant  aiul  ripe,  in  a  garden 
which  was  not  fenced  until  June.  .  Last  season  we  gathered 


'   u 


.1   » 

•1    ( 

i  I 


li 


164 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RKS0URCK8. 


encumbers  in  November,  which  were  planted  very  late,  for 
pickles, 

Our  soil  is  generally  protlnctivc  ;  though  much  (  f  it  is  sandy, 
it  is  a  very  productive  soil  —  not  as  compared  with  the  middle 
or  ffastcrn  states,  but  as  compared  with  Wisconsin  and  Illinois. 
There  are  fields  here  which  the  French  have  cultivated  with- 
out manuring  for  twenty  years,  Avhich  produce  good  crops,  bar- 
ren as  the  soil  may  look  to  a  "  sucker"  from  the  bottoms  of 
Eel  river  or  the  Big  Muddy.  The  farmers  here,  on  the  aver- 
age, get  larger  crops  per  acre  than  we  have  ever  seen  ^  ised 
in  any  other  part  of  the  west.  We  do  not  say  that  all  Minne- 
sota is  fertile  ;  but  that  it  will  compare  favorably,  in  fertility, 
with  any  portion  of  the  world. 

Consider,  then,  our  advantages  in  regard  to  health.  No  bil- 
ious fevers,  no  shaking  with  ague  in  the  harvest-fields,  no  loss 
of  crops  by  sickness.     Is  this  nothing? 

Of  the  extent  and  value  of  our  home  market  for  produce,  it 
is  needless  to  speak.  In  no  other  part  of  the  West  is  there 
anything  like  an  equal  demand  for  agricultural  products ;  to 
supply  the  Indian  tribes  on  the  Minnesota  and  Mississippi 
rivers  ;  to  supply  the  forts,  and  to  supply  the  great  and  in- 
creasing business  of  the  pineries,  and  the  manufacture  of  lum- 
ber. Every  farmer  has  a  natural  tariff  to  protect  him,  equal 
to  the  cost  of  shipping  the  same  kinds  of  produce  whicii  he 
offers  in  market,  from  several  hundred  miles  below,  by  steam- 
boat ;  added  to  the  insurance  and  the  profits  of  the  produce 
dealer,  all  which  is  more  than  fifty  per  cent,  premium  in  his 
favor,  over  the  farmer  who  lives  down  the  river,  and  who  has 
no  such  home  market  as  ours  at  his  door.  Add  to  this  the 
cheapness  of  choice  lands  in  Minnesota,  our  freedom  from  the 
burden  of  a  state  government,  and  the  moral,  intelligent,  and 
industrious  character  of  our  people,  and  the  immigrant,  if  he 
is  a  man,  and  expects  to  live  by  exertion,  will  find  more  in- 
ducements to  make  his  home  in  Minnesota,  than  in  any  of  the 
bilious  regions  south  of  it. 

There  is  a  demand  here  for  all  kinds  of  farming,  and  espe- 
cially for  dairying  and  stcck-ianning.  But  in  speaking  of 
farmers  particularly,  I  would  not  be  understood  to  intimate 


AGRICULTURE,    MANUFACTURES,    ETC. 


1C5 


tlint  there  is  not  nl.mulant  encouragement  for  other  branches 
of  industry.     Where  farn.crs  can  thrive,  all  other  interests  are 

fiafe. 

Our  market  for  all  that  can  he  raised  in  Minnesota,  tor  years 
to  come,  will  be  ample,  and  prices  as  high  as  can  he  ohtained  in 
any  city  of  the  Wed.     I  can  demonstrate  this  in  few  words. 
The  non-producing  classes  among  us  comprise  upward  of  forty 
thousand  Indians,  ai»d  some  five  thousand  whites,  the  latter 
divided  into  traders,  merchants,  lumbermen,  soldiers,  mechan- 
ics, and  manufacturers.     If  it  be  argued  that  the  former  will 
diminish  with  the  advance  of  the  settler,  it  can  also  be  shown 
that  the  latter,  from  the  very  nature  of  our  country  — its  in- 
exhaustible water-power,  and  its  interminable  forests  of  pine 
—  Avill  increase  in  a  corresponding  ratio.     The  Indians  and 
the  soldiers  must  be  fed  by  the  general  government.     The 
supplies  for  this  purpose  are  now  drawn  from  the  agricultural 
states  below  us.     The  trader,  also,  and  the  hardy  forester  that 
fells  the  tall  pines,  procure  their  flour  and  pork,  and  the  grain 
that  subsist  their  cattle,  from  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Wisconsin. 
This  will  not,  it  can  not  be  the  case  when  our  own  fertile  acres 
arc  subdued  by  the  plough.     Look  at  our  prices-current  at  this 
time,  viz.,  April  10,  1853— before  the  arrival  of  the  first  boat 
from  below  with  our  supplies— ^owx,  six  dollars  per  barrel; 
oats,  fifty-five  and  sixty  cents  per  bushel ;  and  potatoes,  sev- 
enty cents.     Butter  twenty-five  cents  per  pound,  and  eggs  and 
poultrv  not  to  be  had  for  love  or  money. 

I  want  it  distinctly  understood,  that  our  land  is  capable  of 
producing  all  the  crops  that  are  raised  in  the  central  and  west- 
ern states.  Fifty  and  even  sixty  bushels  of  oats  are  frequent- 
ly produced  from  an  acre  of  ground.  Potatoes  will  yield,  in 
a  favorable  season,  three  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre,  ^o 
one  competent  to  judge  doubts  the  efficacy  of  Minnesota  as  a 
wheat-growing  region,  although  this  crop  has  not  been  thor- 
oughly tested  as  yet.  Our  prairies  are  not  large,  as  m  Illi- 
nois and  other  states.  Groves  of  timber  are  thickly  inter- 
spersed over  them,  and  refreshirg  springs  of  water,  crystal 
lakes,  and  clear  running  streams,  evcrywliere  abounds  If 
sheep  husbandry  or  cattle  rearing  be  the  business  you  wish  to 


H 


166 


MINNESOTA   AND   Il-S  RESOURCES. 


engngc  in,  this  country  is  tlio  place  for  yon.  The  whole  ter- 
ritory, prairie  and  woodland,  is  one  immense  natural  pas- 
ture. 

In  view  of  all  the  fm  ts  wf  i'rtve  stated,  we  can  not  place  our 
finger  upor  the  map  of  this  great  country  at  any  point  —  Cali- 
fornia not  oxcoplod.with  all  its  Hhining  dust  —  that  presents 
greater  inducements  to  immigrants  than  Minnesota.  Single 
men,  as  well  as  those  with  families,  of  in'Tuhtrious  habits,  will 
find  employment.  Farmers  and  mechanics  that  have  energy 
and  perseverance  can  not  fail  to  succeed.  A  small  amount  of 
means  will  do  to  commence  upon.  A  qunrter  section  of  iand 
and  a  small  ontfit,  with  industry,  will  afford  a  competenc} . 
Mechanics  of  all  kinds  are  in  demand  ;  their  labor  and  wares 
will  command  a  high  price.  All  the  prodncts  of  the  soil  lind 
a  ready  cash  market,  at  prices  that  richly  reward  the  farmer. 

The  projected  line  of  railroad  from  New  Orleans  to  the 
falls  of  St.  Anthony  will,  when  completed,  bring  us  within  one 
day's  (twenty-four  hours)  travel  of  St.  Louis,  and  within  t  vo 
days  of  New  Orleans.  A  twelve  hours'  journey  in  the  other 
direction,  by  railroad,  will  bring  us  to  tho  richest  mines  on  the 
shores  of  Lake  Superior,  and  all  this,  without  equalling  the 
speed  at  present  attained  on  some  of  the  eastern  roads.  What, 
then,  is  to  prevent  this  place  becoming  one  of  extensive  manu- 
factures ?  Our  water-power  is  unlimited,  ;ind  easy  of  improve- 
ment. The  materials  to  he  manufactured  are  near  us  ;  and 
the  Mississippi  is  a  great  highway  for  the  transportation. 
Even  now,  the  cotton  and  wool  of  the  south  and  west  could  be 
brought  here  and  returned  to  the  producers  at  much  less  ex- 
pense than  it  could  be  brought  to  and  from  New  England; 
but  with  such  a  line  of  railroad  as  is  contemplated,  we  are 
brought  into  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  mines  of 
Lake  Superior  and  the  plantations  of  the  south.  And  who 
shall  say  that  the  mineral  of  one,  and  the  cotton  of  the  other, 
will  not  soon  be  wrougl  +  ia  all  the  forms  of  art,  at  the  falls  of 
St.  Anthony  ? 

The  proposed  route  from  St.  Louis  lies  through  the  valley 
of  the  Des  Moines  and  Bhie-Eurth  rivers,  crossing  the  Minne- 
sota river  about  sixty  miles  from  its  mouth.     There  is  a  natu- 


A.ORICULTURPJ,    MANU  FACTUKES,    ETC. 


167 


rnl  grade  tlirmigh  those  valleys  tlie  vvlinlo  distance,  and  there 
is  no  portion  of  the  west  more  fertile  than  the  lands  nlo.ig  the 
whole  line.  There  is  probahly  no  railroad  in  the  world  which 
passes  throngh  so  rich  an  agriculturnl  country  for  so  long  a 
distance.  Tn  addition  to  that,  there  are  vast  mines  of  fosril 
coal  in  the  valley  of  the  Pes  Moines,  which  such  a  road  would 
render  invaluable. 

The  greater  part  of  the  lands  along  this  route  is  now  owned 
by  the  United  States.  What  a  field  of  enterprise  is  here 
opened  for  the  immigrant,  and  one,  too,  that  multitudes  are 
even  now  commencing  to  improve.  A  line  of  settlements  is 
established  along  the  valley  of  the  Minnesota  river,  as  far 
as  the  mouth  of  the  Blue-Earth  ;  and  several  towns  and 
villages  of  considei  ible  magnitude  are  already  rising  into  im- 
portance. All  this  is  done  before  the  Indians  are  removed 
from  the  soil. 

I  have  received  from  Alexis  Bailly,  who  resides  at  Waba- 
shaw,  foot  of  Lake  Pepin,  on  the  Sioux  or  Minnesota  side,  a 
sample  of  the  winter  wheat  raised  on  his  farm  last  season  ; 
also  specimens  of  the  soil  in  which  it  gre^v,  and  of  the  subsoil. 
Mr.  Bailly  says  in  his  note,  which  accompanies  the  package : 
"I  Avill  only  say  rel  itive  to  the  wheat,  that  it  was  seeded  late 
in  October  last,  and  was  in  consequence  of  my  absence  this 
summer,  a  good  deal  neglected,  and  notwithstanding  that,  it 
yields  a^ove  forty  bushels  per  acre." 

Mr.  Bailly  is  one  of  the  best-informed  citizt  s  (' Minnesota, 
and  having  been  largely  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade,  has  re- 
sided many  years  in  the  territory.  I  place  a  very  high  esti- 
mate upon  his  OT  nion  of  the  capacities  of  our  soil  and  climate 
for  agricultural  pursu'^s.  He  does  not  doubt  that  Minnesota 
contains  a  large  quantity  of  wheat-gi  owing  soil,  which  can 
not  be  surpassed  for  the  profitable  cultivation  of  that  very  val- 
uable crop. 

Every  experiment  made  last  year  in  the  cultivation  of  winter 
wheat,  has  resulted  in  the  most  gratifying  success.  I  have 
not  been  able  to  learn  a  single  case  of  failure.  This  invaluable 
crop  finub  ii  geii  ru  soil  and  climate  «,;  '';c  foot  of  Lake  Pepin, 
on  the  St.  Croix j  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  St.  Paul;  and 


168 


MINNK80TA    AND    118    UUSOUUCKS. 


.    t 


.a    a   iL'ifiJ.. 


i 

I 

at  Long  jiruirie,  iioitli  lorty-wlx  (U^greea.  Miimcsotn,  on  both 
Hides  of  tlic  Missiysijipi.  luuht  tlieid'oie  be  noted  «»ii  the  agri- 
cultural niaj)  an  n  wlu'at-grovv  ing  region,  uiitsiirpaKHid,  in  all 
probability  unequalled,  in  the  hitherto  culti\Hted  regions  of 
the  west.  1  say,  une(|tialled,  and  firmly  believe  that  expe- 
rience will  abundantly  verily  this  opinion. 

During  the  wintt;r  <>nr  soil  is  torpid,  and  a  stranger  to  alter- 
nate thawing  and  freezing.  During  most  winters  it  is  covered 
with  a  thick  mantle  ol'  snow .  but  there  have  been  winters  when 
there  was  little  or  no  snow  ;  but  during  such  seasons  there 
were  no  winter  thaws,  and,  as  a  general  fact,  the  soil  was  not 
8ubje(tto  heaving  on  the  breaking  up  of  winter.  'J'he  reason 
why  most  of  our  soil  does  not  heave,  is  that  it  contains  a  duo 
admixture  of  sand  —  the  kind  of  soil  that  neither  bakes  nor 
heaves  :  there  is  no  better. 

The  surface-soil  in  Mv.  Bailly's  wheat-field,  as  shown  by 
the  specimens,  is  a  rich  black  loam,  containing  a  large  propor- 
tion of  humus.  The  sub-soil  is  argillaceous  —  a  friable  yellow 
clay. 

I  should  like  to  see  some  of  our  farmers  attempt  the  experi- 
ment of  raising  sheep.  It  ap})ears  that  sheep  might  bo  raised 
in  this  country  with  profit  to  the  owner.  Of  course  the  farmer 
would  want  sheds  to  keep  them  in  during  the  winter,  for  the 
warmer  an  animal  is  kept  the  less  food  it  requires  to  sustain 
life.  The  fjict  that  the  ground  is  so  long  covered  with  snow 
dining  the  winter,  would  of  course  make  it  more  expensive  to 
keep  them  during  that  period  of  the  year,  but  I  believe  it  could 
be  done  with  profit  to  the  farmer.  At  any  rate,  I  want  to  see 
the  experiment  thoroughly  tried  before  believing  to  the  con- 
trary. Every  spring  our  butchers  bring  up  a  large  nund)or 
of  sheep.  Having  just  been  sheared,  they  are  generally  the 
poorest-looking  animals  ever  beheld  ;  and  it  is  almost  enough 
to  make  one  sick  of  mutton  to  look  at  them.  But  after  they 
have  run  around  town  for  a  few  weeks,  picking  oflf  the  short 
grass  to  be  found  in  our  streets,  they  become  as  fat  as  sheep 
generally  get  to  be  in  any  country.  They  could  not  be  recog- 
nised as  the  same  flock,  milops  one  hhw  them  every  d.^.y, 
although  they  might  have  forty  ear-marks. 


AGUICULTrUE,    MAMFACTrUES,    ETC. 


169 


expe- 


Now  is  the  time  for  the  "Hli<»op  businosH"  to  bo  gono  into  in 
Minnesota  with  a  cortuinty  of  hucccsh  and  profit.  All  tlio  wool 
in  the  United  Htatoa  is  hoin^^  bouglit  up  in  advance  of  the  clip, 
at  enormous  prices.  The  rise  is  mainly  eirccted  by  the  gold 
discoveries  in  Australia,  wberc  the  shepherds  have  deserted 
their  Hocks  by  hundreds  and  thousands,  and  gone  to  mining. 
The  sui)ply  of  the  coarser  wools  used  in  English  manufactures 
is  thus  cut  oft"  to  a  great  extent;  and  llio  coiiscf|uencc  must  bo 
a  rise  in  the  price  of  the  staple  throughout  the  commercial 
world. 

In  again  referring  to  the  subject  of  wbeat-growing,  I  would 
say  that  the  doul  t  that  has  heretofore  existed  relative  to  the 
adaptation  of  Minnesota  soil  and  climate  to  the  growth  of  win- 
ter wheat,  can  no  longer  exist,  as  the  exporienco  of  tb  3  two 
last  years  has  fully  demonstrated  that  winter  wheat  is  as  cci- 
tain  and  as  profitable  a  crop  in  Minnesota  as  in  New  York  or 
rcnnsylvania.  Corn  is  more  certain  and  fully  as  profitable 
as  in  either  of  those  states.  The  cultivation  is  no  more  ex- 
pensive, the  markets  as  convenient,  the  yield  as  abundant,  the 
prices  as  good,  and  owing  to  the  healthy  climate,  the  life  of 
the  farmer  is  longer  in  Minnesota,  than  in  any  portion  of  the 
Union. 

In  concluding  this  interesting  topic,  and  most  valuable  of  all 
the  interests  of  Minnesota,  let  me  refer  to  the  agricultural 
societies  already  formed,  and  in  successful  operation.  These 
societies  were  chartered  by  act  of  legislature  in  Ramsey  and 
Benton  counties,  in  1851  and  1852.  The  Benton  county 
society  nuu  for  the  first  time  on  the  16:h  December,  1852,  at 
which  session  Capt.  J.  B.  S.  Todd,  U.  S.  A.,  delivered  an 
interesting  address.  Captain  Todd,  though  occupied  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  commanding  the  frontier  post  of 
Fort  Ripley,  deserves  much  credit  for  the  personal  attention 
lie  has  paid  to  agriculture —proving  himself  a  practical  farmer 
indeed,  by  cultivating  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Benton  county, 
with  the  most  gratifying  success. 

Captain  Todd,  referring,  in  his  address,  to  the  agricultural 
Ktatisties  of  Benton  county,  gave  tlic  society  the  following 
facts : — 

8 


m 


170 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCEP. 


I'  ■! 


3  M 


"  Mr.  J.  Russell,  residing  at  Sauk  Rapids,  has  under  cultiva- 
tion one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  This  is  the  second  year 
of  cultivation  ;  forty-five  acres  were  this  season  sown  in  spring 
wheat,  and  yielded  one  thousand  bushels  —  being  an  average 
of  twenty-two  bushels  per  acre ;  forty-five  acres  were  sown  in 
oats,  producing  fifteen  hundred  bushels,  averaging  thirty-five 
busl'iels  per  acre;  the  remainder  was  planted  with  corn, 
winter-wheat,  potatoes,  turnips,  and  other  articles  necessary 
to  a  farmer  for  his  own  use.  A  part  of  the  corn  planted  was 
the  eight-rowed  flint  variety,  and  was  successful.  His  main 
crop  was  the  small  Red  Lake  variety,  planted  the  last  of  June. 
This  was  a  failure,  owing  to  the  quality  of  seed,  and  the  late- 
ness of  planting.  Most  of  the  corn  that  came  ripened  well ; 
little  attention  was  paid  to  it  after  planting.  Last  year  the 
experiment  of  raising  winter-wheat  was  not  satisfactory,  as 
was  generally  the  case;  and  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  want  of 
snow,  so  unusual  with  us.  This  year  four  or  five  acres  have 
been  sown,  and  thus  far  with  every  prospect  of  success — ruta- 
bagas yielding  as  high  as  twelve  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre." 

Twelve  hundred  bushels  of  turnips  to  the  acre  is  a  good 
crop,  and  worth  talking  about ;  but  the  other  productions  are 
worthy  also  of  particular  notice,  as  showing  that  the  farm 
spoken  of,  although  in  its  infancy,  is  capable  of  yielding  a 
handsome  income  to  the  proprietor. 

The  following  is  given  as  a  proof  of  what  can  be  done  in 
beef  and  pork,  and  other  productions  :  — 

«*  The  farm  of  Mr.  Gilman  lies  six  miles  north,  and  is  an 
example  of  our  timbered  bottom  lands,  lying  directly  on  the 
river,  and  for  fertility  of  soil  is  not  exceeded  by  any  ;  it  con- 
tains one  hundred  acres  under  cultivation.  In  1850,  there 
were  fifty  acres  sown  in  oats,  yielding  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred bushels,  averaging  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre,  and  thirty- 
eight  pounds  to  the  bushel.  Four  hundred  bushels  were  sold  at 
fifty  cents,  and  the  remainder  at  an  average  of  eighty-seven 
cents  ;  twenty  acres  were  grown  in  corn,  yielding  one  thousand 
bushels,  or  fifty  bushels  per  acre,  and  sold  at  one  dollar  per 
bushel.  This  year  it  has  uccn  mostly  piaiited  m  corn.  -  -i- 
seed  was  taken  from  last  year's  growth,  cribbed  in  the  usual 


AGRICULTURE,   MANUFACTURES,   ETC. 


171 


manner,  but  from  severe  freezing,  was  so  much  injured  as  to 
require  three  plantings ;  that  which  ripened  is  considered  as 
good  as  can  be  grown.  The  samples  before  the  societ)'^  speak 
for  themselves ;  the  remainder  was  fed  to  stock.  Mr.  Gilman 
has  killed  six  thousanr^  pounds  of  beef,  and  two  thousand 
pounds  of  pork  this  fall,  of  his  own  raising  and  fattening.  But 
a  small  quantity  of  oats  were  sown.  Wheat  has  not  'been 
tried.  The  yield  of  buckwheat  is  as  thirty  to  one.  This  farm 
was  opened  in  1850. 

"  The  farm  of  Mr.  John  Depue  lies  eleven  miles  north  of 
this,  and  is  an  admirable  specimen  of  the  prairie  lands  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county.  It  lies  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Piatt  river,  about  two  miles  above  its  junction  with  the  Mis- 
sissippi, upon  the  second  bench  in  the  edge  of  a  beautiful 
growth  of  oak,  and  extending  into  a  prairie  destined  soon  to 
become  one  of  the  most  thickly-settled  parts  of  the  country. 
It  now  embraces  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  cultivated 
land,  was  begun  two  years  ago,  and  planted  in  corn,  oats, 
potatoes,  turnips,  &c.  It  produced  twelve  hundred  bushels  of 
oats,  sold  at  one  dollar  per  bushel ;  two  hundred  bushels  of 
corn  which  matured  well,  without  special  attention,  for  which 
two  dollars  per  bushel  was  offered  and  refused  ;  five  hundred 
bushels  of  potatoes,  and  one  thousand  bushels  of  rutabagas  — 
the  surplus  potatoes,  over  the  demand  for  the  farm,  were  sold 
at  seventy-five  cents — the  rutabagas  werj  fed  to  stock. 

This  year  it  produced  eighteen  hundred  bushels  of  oats,  now 
selling  at  the  door  for  seventy-five  cents,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty  bushels  of  spring- wheat  of  superior  quality.  The 
proprietor  has  fattened  and  killed  his  own  pork  and  beef,  and 
with  commendable  resolution,  determines  to  do  so  in  future,  or 
go  without.  Winter-Avheat  was  tried  last  year,  but  failed  as  a 
crop,  under  similar  circumstances  with  that  of  Mr.  Russell." 

This  society  is  a  valuable  institution,  not  only  to  Benton 
cour.ty  but  to. the  whole  territory  ;  for  by  the  publication  of  its 
proceedings,  rivalry  is  created  among  the  farmers  of  other 
counties,  and  attention  attracted  in  the  states,  and  in  foreign 
countries,  to  tue  ease  anci  rapidity  with  wuiCn  a  xiuSuuiiumaii 
can  get  rich  in  this  inviting  country  j  and  renewed  efforts  will 


172 


AHNNESOTA   AND  ITS  EE80UECE8. 


eac,  county  eulcavonng  to  outstrip  tl,e  oti.er,  and  inimigratio,^ 
w.  lucrease  to  suel,  an  extent  as  to  exceed  the  anticipation 
of  tl.e  most  enthusiastic  well  .visher  of  the  territory  "      '^ 

These  statistics  of  Capt.  Todd  referred  to  tl,e  yea  1852  and 

he  .ncrease  upon  these  facts  within  the  past  year,  wli  bo 

readily  conceived  by  all.  ''  ° 

I  can  not  close  this  agricultural  chapter  ,vithout  stating,  that 
«  another  year,  settlements  can  be  made  in  our  valleys  w!  1  ou 
I|a™,g  Indians  for  neighbors.     Thousands  have  bee'n  ZZ 
tor  these  very  lands  to  be  purchased  and  brought  into  market 
who  wl   be  on  the  ground  early  to  make  settlements.  ' 

Ih.s  temtory  has  not  s„  many  small  streams  as  New  Eng- 
la.id,  but  immensely  more  beautiful  lakes  and  level  countrv 
In  many  porfons,  too,  there  is  not  so  much,  nor  so  gr  "t  ,' 
.anety  of  fmber;  but  we  have  fine  prairies  and  natural 
meadows  and  sufficient  woodland  for  all  necessary 'po.e^ 
And  we  have  one  kind  of  wood  here,  which,  thot,gh  smau' 
promises  to  be  of  much  value ;  it  is  the  ia./ccl.wi/lo,o 

Ihere  is  much  said  of  late  in  agricnltnral  and  other  papers 
abou    the  inimense  profit  of  cultivating  the  osier.-  and  ituiZ 
^a  ed  that  five  millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  it  isimport  d  ft  m 
France  and  Germany  every  year.     Yet  there  is  considerabT 
of    he  bes   variety  of  this  article  growing  wild  in  our  imrae! 
diate  vicinity.     This  might  be  much  improved  bv  Jw7Z 
and  readily  supply  the  place  of  the  imported  Villo!"    We' 
have  a  German  here  who  has  been  familiar  with  the  cultivation 
of  .t  m  his  own  country,  and  who  has  been  busily  engaged 
the  past  season  lu  making  most  beautiful  baskets  from  our 
native  growth.     He  informs  mo  th,t  this  is  the  best  article  rf 
he  kind  he  has  ever  seen ;  that  it  is  tougher  and  stronger  than 
the  impor  ed  willow.     It  is  not,  of  course,  so  straight  and  un  " 
form  in  si.e  as  though  it  was  cultivated,  but  tlL  is  eaX 
-medied,  and  the  cultivation  of  it  will  be  commenced  ealy 
the  coming  spring.     It  will  not  be  at  all  strange  if  within  five 
jears  the  basket-willow  should  become  an  importa"    artfcle 
of  export  from  this  territory.  ^ 


FAX^TLITIES   FOB  TRAVEL. 


173 


CHAPTER   X. 

FACILITIES    FOR    TRAVEL— RAILROADS    THROUGH     AND    TOWARD 

MINNESOTA. 

To  those  who  think  of  coming  to  this  territory,  it  is  a  matter 
01  interest  to  know  what  are  the  facilities  for  travel,  where 
are   our  markets,  whence   we   obtain  our  merchandise,  and 
where  we  are  to  send  our  products  when  we  are  so  prosperous 
as  to  have  a  surplus.     To  these  questions  we  will  endeavor  to 
give  as  concise  an  answer  as  possible.     Our  present  line  of 
communicadou  with  the  east  is  by  the  way  of  Galena  and 
Chicago.     Ihose  coming  from  the  east   can  reach  Chicago, 
either  by  a  trip  around  the  lakec,  hy  the  Michigan  Central 
railroad,  or  Southern  Michigan  railroad  ;  and  a  complete  chain 
ot  railroad,  around  the  south  side  of  Lake  Erie,  from  Chicago 
to  ^ew  York,  Boston,  and  almost  any  other  place  you  please. 
^  rom  Chicago  west,  the  railroad  is  already  completed  to  Rock- 
xord,  between  eighty  and  ninety  miles,  and  within  another 
year  will  be  completed  to  Dubuque  or  Galena  — thus  connect- 
ing the  upper  Mississippi  with  all  the  cities  of  the  east      An- 
otlwv  railroad  is  in  progress  from  Milwaukee  to  Prairie  La 
Crosse,  a  small  but  rapidly-growing  town  on    the  Mississippi 
river,  nearly  two  hundred  miles  above  Galena.     This  is  beinff 
pushed  forward  with  such  enterprise,  that  it  is  expected  to  be 
completed  in   about  one   year.     The  eastern  portion  of  it  is 
already  m  operation,  penetrating  far  into  the   interior  of  the 
(^tntc.     Minnesota  has  already  become  attractive  to  the  health 
and  pleasure  seekers  of  our  eastern  cities.     But  when  these 
acihties  for  travel  shall  be  fully  realized,  the  fnll«  nf  Sf   A.. 
tiioiiy  will  rank  with  Saratoga,  Newport,  and  the  White  moun- 


174 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   EE80UBCK3. 


tnm,  as  a  place  of  summei-  ,cs„rt.     M„cl>  of  on,-  niercl.andiso 

ha  to  I,„  o„„.,o,,l  ,,ca,-  a  I,„„d,cl  .nilcs  by  wagons  across  ill  - 
no.8.  J  he  amomit  w.il  of  course  le  increased  with  the  -ase 
and  cheapness  of  transportation. 

But  there  is  another  enterprise  commenced,  which  promises 
even  more  for  onr  torritorj-  than  those  1  have  mentioLd 
^.a  con,nuo«.  Une  of  railroad  fro,.  Neu,  Orleans  ,o  tkefalh  If 
St  Anthony  ,  ru.nnug  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  river 

J  i   "f  It       Th:'f7"  •"  "'  ^'•'""'"-''  *''-"«"•  l' -^  »"^' 
o    o  ,  1       „-""'/""''^""g  «-^"-«ct8  from  the  St.  Louis  News 

PO  mt  will'  "■"       "■"  ""  '''""^^"'''  »«"'--'-  "^  Octobe; 
20, 1852,  w.ll  g,ve  a  more  complete  idea  of  the  enterprise  :- 

of  ti?."!J  •  ^^  ^"''"'"  "■"I  g'---'"'l<'St  railroad  improvements 
of  he  age  .s  now  engrossing  the  attention  of  a  lafge  number 
of  the  n,ost  enterprising  capitalists  in  the  west.  A  work  of 
vastmagnuude,  which  we  supposed  would  not  he  contemplated 
for  many  years  to  come,  is  already  in  progress,  and  before  sx 

poTtirT";  T '%'""' '"  ^""■^"«''  "y  ■-"-'  *-- 

poita  ,on  tl  e  staple  products  of  the  northwest  for  the  fresh 
and  npe  frmts  of  the  tropics,  and,  measuring  distance  by  tim 
St.  Paul  w,l  be  as  near  New  Orleans  as  it  now  is  to  Galen! 
1  he  enterprise  is  truly  magnificent.  That  it  is  practicable  no 
one  nc<,uan,ted  with  the  subject  can  doubt.  Tb  «:"  be 
accomphsbed,  .s  alrea.V  assured  by  the  intelligence  we  bis 
day  present  to  our  readers.  The  wealthiest  ami  morsag^ 
c.ous  cap.tahsts  of  St.  Louis  have  embarked  in  the  enterp  i^se 
.v.th  a  tar-seen,g  and  patriotic  determination  to  achieve  sue! 
cess     Thousands  of  capitalists  along  the  line  of  the  proposed 

tZ  -^r  r"  ."T"^'" '""'  =^'"  "■"'  liberality  Cv 
Or  eaus  Will  embark  „,  the  work  with  enthusiastic  energy,  and 
helore  s,x  mouths  pass  away  the  Nbw  Orl..«s  and  IZt 

as  one  of  the  greatest  improvements  of  the  age.  As  the  St 
L.M,,s  News  remarks,  in  a  strain  of  enthusiasm,  which  the 
u',ec  uaturaly  inspires:  'No  grander  schemL  wa  e.  r 
Fojected  for  the  promotion  of  man's  empire  over  the  7Z 
chmates  of  the  earth,  and  no  enterprise  has  ever  been  uZ 


FACILITIES   FOB  TRAVEL. 


175 


folded  that  will  take  stronger  hold  upon  the  hearts  and  imagi- 
nations of  men. 

"A  railroad  from  Minnesota  to  New  Orleans,  competing  with 
the  great  Father  of  Waters  thronghoat  its  course,  and  joining 
in  close  fellowship  the  six  months'  snowa  of  Lake  Superior 
with  the  perpetual  summer  of  the  gulf  of  Mexico!  That  is 
the  latest  project  to  which  the  extraordinary  enterprise  of  the 
republic  has  given  birth,  and  one  which,  in  its  gigantic  propor- 
tions, is  little  likely  to  be  paralleled.  Mr.  Whitney's  scheme 
for  unit?  fig  with  iron  bonds  the  waters  of  the  two  great  oceans, 
exceeds  it  in  immensity,  but  will  bear  no  comparison  \/ith  it 
in  regard  to  feasibility.  His  route  for  tlie  most  part  runs 
through  arid  wastes,  now,  and  for  generations  to  come,  devoid 
both  of  necessities  and  facilities  for  an  undertaking  of  the  kind. 
The  plan  of  which  we  speak  is  dissimilar  to  it  in  all  respects 
save  one.  In  proportion,  the  line  from  the  extreme  north  to 
the  far  south  yields  the  palm  to  the  indomitable  advocate  of 
the  Pacific  line,  but  in  every  other  particular  u  is  immeasur- 
ably superior.  It  starts  from  a  point  just  opening  to  civiliza- 
tion, it  is  true,  but  one  that  is  manifestly  destined  to  acliieve 
an  unexampled  growth  ;  and  thence,  running  southward,  it 
opens  to  market  the  broad  prairies  »f  Iowa,  exacts  tribute  from 
the  fertile  soil  of  Missouri,  and,  having  stopped  for  breath  at 
the  commercial  emporium  of  the  west,  proceeds  to  traverse  the 
gorgeous  savannahs  of  Arkansas  and  the  rich  plantations  of 
Louisiana,  finally  pouring  its  accumulated  treasures  into  the 
lap  of  New  Orleans.  A  route,  in  round  figures,  of  some  two 
thousand  miles,  already  possessed  of  an  enormous  river  traffic, 
and  more  or  less  settled  at  every  important  point. 

"  We  are  not  dreaming  dreams,  or  indulging  in  fancies  at 
variance  with  facts.  We  record  a  project  now  occupying 
attention  along  I  L  barks  of  the  Mississippi,  which  has  re- 
ceived the  cordia'i  approval  of  cool  business  men,  and  which 
will  shortly  be  ^resented  to  the  country  in  a  plain  business 
aspect.  The  mcchants  of  St.  Louis  have  taken  the  lead  in  its 
behalf,  with  a  spirit  that  betokens  early  and  good  results. 
Their  efforts  must  command  the  assistance  of  New  Orleans, 
which  is  at  length  awakened  to  the  necessity  of  land  as  well 


I     T 


I  I     I 


*    1       ' 


170 


MINNESOTA    ANT)    rw    RESOUKL'KS. 


as  water  communication.  Arkansas  and  Iowa  are  pledged  by 
then-  action  in  other  matters  to  a  cordial  cooperation,  while  the 
infant  giant,  Minnesota,  enters  into  it  with  a  spirit  at  once 
characteristic  and  hopeful. 

•'  The  project  is  pregnant  with  great  considerations,  political 
and  commercial.  It  will  unite  climates  unlike  in  their  nature 
and  products,  and  will  give  a  common  aim  and  interest  to 
people  differing  widely  in  their  circumstances  and  pursuits. 
it  will  form  a  new  guaranly  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  Union 
and  will  contribute  more  than  legislation  to  smother  sectior.al 
strife.  It  will  secure  to  the  extreme  northwest  its  legitimate 
markets,  and  will  more  rapidly  attract  to  it  the  capital  and 
labor  needed  to  develop  its  magnificent  resources. 

"  In  this  grnud  work  the  people  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  Anthony 
have  a  common  and  united  interest.  When  it  shall  have  been 
completed,  '  the  .ister  cities'  will  be  viewed  as  upper  and 
lower  towns  of  the  same  great  metropolis,  which  will  be  to  the 
northwest  what  New  Orleans  is  to  the  south,  and  St.  Louis  to 
the  centre —a  railroad  and  commercial  terminus,  a  grand 
centre  of  trr.de,  and  also,  what  neither  of  these  points  can 
ever  become,  the  manufactory  and  -workshop  r.f  the  west 

"  N«  portion  of  our  flourisliing  country  promises  to  enjoy  a 
more  brilliant  destiny  than  Minnesota  ;  and  St.  Paul  and  St 
Anthony  conjoined  must  become  the  commercial  and  manufac- 
turing heart,  not  only  of  Minnesota,  but  of  the  vast  domain 
surrounding  it,  stretching  from  Lake  Superior  to  the  Rocky 
mountains,  and  embracing  the  intervening  area  as  far  north 
as  liuman  enterprise  can  extend." 

^  To  sorne  this  may  seem  visionary;  but  on  a  careful  exam- 
ir.at.on  of  the  facts  in  the  case,  I  am  confident  that  o^-ery 
intelligent  r  an  will  agree  with  the  editor  of  the  St.  Louis 
Ijews,  that  "no  grander  scheme  wn,  ever  projected,"  and 
that  It  IS  not  only  "possible,"  but  "practicable,"  and  "in- 
evitable." 

A  raih-oad  of  one  hundred  miles,  of  easy  and  cheap  construc- 
tion, would  connect  the  navigable  waters  of  the  Mississippi  with 
the  navigable  waters  of  the  Red  river  of  the  north.  Another 
road  of  one  hundred  miles  would  wed  the  Mississippi  to  Lake 


FACILITIKS   FOli   TRAVEL. 


177 


Superior.  Already  roads  are  in  contemplation,  which  will 
unite  Minnesota  to  the  tide  waters  of  the  Atlantic  and  the 
giilt;  bringing  the  best  market  to  the  door  of  the  producer, 
and  giving  to  our  agriculturists,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  the 
choice  of  an  eastern  or  southern  market. 

A  road  is  also  projected  from  St.  I'aul  to  Green  Bay.  This 
will  bring  us  within  ten  hours  of  Lake  Michigan,  and,  as 
Boon  as  the  road  from  Toronto  to  Georgian  bay  is  completed, 
within  lifty-six  hours  of  Toronto.  In  addition  to  the  argu- 
ments usually  urged  in  favor  of  grants  of  public  land  to  rail- 
rf)ad  and  other  improvements,  two  particular  reasons  apply  in 
this  case,  which  should  induce  the  federal  government  to  aid 
the  enterprise.  The  road  would  run  through  an  unsettled  and 
unsurveyed  tract  of  country,  and  will  open  it  to  settlement. 
Few  other  roads  are  so  situated.  It  will  terminate  in  a  terri- 
tory of  the  United  States,  and  will  so  expedite  its  settlement, 
as  to  shorten  the  period  of  its  territorial  existence,  and  relieve 
the  federal  treasury  of  the  burden  of  its  support.  Hitherto 
railroads  have  been  constructed,  because  the  settlement  and 
business  of  their  respective  localities  were  supposed  to  demand 
them.  The  experiment  of  building  a  road  in  order  to  settle  a 
o.untry  and  make  a  husiness,  is  yet  to  be  tried.  Mr.  Whitney 
})ioposed  such  an  experiment  in  his  Pacific  scheme ;  and  if  we 
reflect  what  the  Erie  canal  and  the  railroad  upon  its  banks 
have  done  for  the  settlement  of  t^'C  northwest,  we  have  a 
siguilicant  hint  of  the  efficacy  of  suck  means. 

The  editor  of  the  Minnesota  Pioneer,  in  speaking  of  this 
subject,  says :  "  Among  the  important  acts  of  the  last  legisla- 
ture, may  very  properly  be  classed  the  various  railroad  char- 
ters passed  during  the  session.  We  are  aware  that  they  are 
looked  upon  by  many  as  chimerical,  but  we  can  not  recognise 
anything  as  chimerical  in  the  ..ettler/ient  of  the  great  valley  of 
the  Mississippi.  Our  long  rcf^idencc  in  the  West  has  enabled 
us  to  observe  the  rapid  progress  of  civilization.  The  antici- 
pations of  the  most  sanguine  have  been  so  far  surpassed,  chat 
we  can  not  at  this  time  concede  the  power  of  imagination  to 
get  beyond  reality  in  western  improvement,  and  western  prog- 
ress. 

8* 


178 


MINNKSOTA    ANB    ITS   RKSOURCKS. 


(     1 


li  -l 


Wc  can  look  hack  a  few  slioit 


of  the  M 
and 


years,  Avlieii  tlio  conimcrco 


Ave 


'ssiss.i.pi  and  Minsonri  was  carried  on  hy  keel-1 
once  niatlc  a  qnick  trip  from  St.  Lou^'h  to  U 


>ontR. 


mnesota  in 


lorty-one  days.     At  tliat  time  ti.e  idea  of  navigating  tl.o  Un- 
per  Mississippi  with  steamboats,  above  the  foot  of  the  lower 
rapids,  would  have  been  considered  much  more  chimerical 
than  would  a  project  for  throwing  a  suspension  bridge  across 
Behrings  straits  at  the  present  day.     We  maue  a  trip  on 
horseback   from    the    Mississippi    to  Chicago,   and  could    get 
neither  eggs  nor  pork  to  eat  at  any  of  the  squatters'  huts  wo 
Btopped  at.     Now  there  is  produce  enough  raised  between  the 
M.ss.ss.pj.i  and  Illinois  rivers  to  feed  half  of  the  starving  pon- 
ulafon  ot  Europe.     We  travelled  in  a  stage  (an  open  wagoi.) 
from   Ga  ena   to  Chicago  when  the  trip  was  made  in  etl.t 
days,  and  when  thepamM//^  of  staging  on  that  route  was  by 
no  means  clear  to  the  proprietors,  and  each  passenger  was 
obl.ged  to  walk  and   carry  a  rail  to  assist  the  team  through 
the  sloughs.     Now  a  railroad  is  near  completion  which  will 
travel  over  the  same  space  in  eight  hours.      We  were  at  one 
time  one  of  the  only  three  white  men  residing  within    the 
imits  of  the  present  state  of  Iowa,  which  now  has  a  popu- 
ation  of  over  four  hundred  thousand.     In  our  own  beautiful 
territory  we  have  made  many  trips  between  Prairie  du  Chieu 
and  Mendota,  and  from  Mendota  to  Traverse  d.s  Sioux,  when 
the  hotels  we  lodged  at  were  in  the  open  air,  and  our  table 
lurnishcJ  from  the  supply  we  carried,  or  from  the  game  killed 
on  the  route.     Yet  with  the  blessing  of  God,  we  hope  vet  to 
travel  in  a  railroad  car,  on  a  continuous  route  from  the  Minne- 
sota river  to  New  Orleans,  and  very  j^roIMj  to  San  Francisco. 
Each  railroad  charter  granted  at  the  late  session,  with  one 
exception,  is  a  cornecting  link  in  some  great  chain  of  road 
^^'l.lch  IS  not  only  contemplated,  but  progressing  south  or  east 
of  us.     Does  any  one  doubt  the  completion,  at  an  early  day, 
of  the  Louisiana  and  Minnesota  railroad  ?     Does  any  one  for 
a  moment  believe  that  the  Illinois  central  railroad  will  rush 
up  to  the  shore  of  the  Mississippi  opposite  Dubuque,  survey  for 
a  moment  t^ie  yast  expanse  of  country  west  of  the  Father  of 
\Vaters,  and  then,  affrighted,  turn  and  seek  again  the  shores 


FACILITIES   FOK   TUAVRL. 


170 


of  tlio  Atlantic?  No  such  tliiiig;  there  is  nothing  In  those 
hcautiful  prairies,  fertile  fields,  or  busy  manufacturing  towns, 
west  of  the  Mississippi  calculated  to  deter  the  '  iron  horse.' 
'J'housands  are  now  living  who  will  see  him  hound  across  the 
bridge  which  will  bo  thrown  over  and  high  above  the  surface 
of  the  stream,  and  rush  forward  to  the  valley  of  the  Minnesota, 
through  the  most  lovely,  healthy,  and  wealthy  agricultural 
portions  of  the  globe.  After  a  momentary  pause,  to  select  the 
route,  his  progress  is  again  onward,  with  caloric  speed  to  the 
shore  of  that  copper-bottomed  inland  sea,  Superior,  where  he 
will  neigh  in  concert  with  his  brothers  from  the  Atlantic  in  the 
east,  and  from  Puget's  sound  in  the  great  northwest. 

"  Does  any  one  doubt  the  early  completion  of  a  railroad  from 
the  Mississippi  to  San  Francisco  ?  In  a  few  year;  his  doubts 
will  be  dispelled,  and  stern  reality  will  show  a  revolution  in 
the  commerce  of  the  world.  Our  teas,  and  all  our  Asiatic 
stuffs  which  we  now  receive  by  a  tardy,  dangerous,  and  ex- 
pensive route  through  Europe  and  our  Atlantic  cities,  will  be 
brought  direct  from  the  Pacific,  and  supplies  will  reach  the 
Atlantic  by  way  of  Minnesota. 

"  Those  who  may  have  doubts  on  the  progress  and  early 
completion  of  these  improvements,  we  ask  to  look  back  on  the 
past.  Examine  the  railroads  now  in  operation  in  the  eastern 
states,  where  the  expense  of  constructing  one  mile  of  road  will 
construct  five  miles  over  our  flat  prairies.  If  any  one  doubts 
the  business  being  sufficient  to  support  these  roads,  we  would 
refer  him  to  the  debates  in  the  New  York  legislature  during 
the  consideration  of  the  charters  for  the  road  between  Buffalo 
and  Albany.  The  opponents  of  those  charters  based  their 
arguments  on  the  supposition  that  a  railroad  would  destroy 
the  business  of  the  canal.  But  time  has  shown  that  the  canal 
has  not  the  capacity  to  do  the  business  necessary,  in  addition 
to  that  done  by  the  railroad.  And  while  further  privileges 
for  transportation  have  been  granted  the  railroads,  the  en- 
largement of  the  canal  has  been  found  necessary. 

"  Of  the  St.  Paul  and  St.  Anthony  railroad  we  need  say  but 
little.  Although  isolated  and  alone,  its  early  completion  is 
just  as  certain  as  that  the  sun  will  rise  to-morrow  morning ; 


i 


I 


'"■^mm'mmimhxm',^ 


180 


MlNNlvSOTA    AND   ITU   KKaOi  liCKS. 


nml   the  foolish  rivalry  between  St.  Paul  and  St.  Antlionv 
M  ill  then  cease."  "^ 

Eastern  capitalists  are  now  investing  in  thi«  last  enterprise 
and  the  contractors  are  expected  on  to  build  the  road  the  en- 
suing spring.     It  is  more  than  probable  that  before  this  vol- 
ume  meets  the  rear  er's  eye,  the  work  will  be  surveyed  and 
under  full  headway. 

I  desire  to  call  the  attention  of  capitalists  abroad,  and  our 
neighbors  at  home,  to  the  value,  importance,  and  prn  ticability 
of  c.nistructing,  at  an  early  day,  a  railroad  from  St.  Paul  to 
Fond  du  Lac  or  Lake  Superior.  We  are  informed  by  those 
acquainted  with  the  topography  of  the  country  between  the 
two  points,  that  the  route  is  a  good  one  for  the  construction  of 
a  railroad. 

^  The  Lake  Superior  country  is  the  greatest  mining  district 
in  the  world,  anu  will  support  and  soon  contain  ."  vast  popu- 
lation engaged  in  that  branch  of  imlustry.  Its  mineral  wealth 
IS  inexhaustible,  and  its  copper  and  iron  ore  the  best  that 
have^  yet  been  discovered.  The  copper  ore  of  the  famous 
nmies  of  Cornwall,  England,  yield  but  about  eight  per  cent 
of  pure  metal  —  that  of  Lake  Superior  twenty  per  cent. 

The  iron  of  Lake  Superior  is  preferred  among  the  iron- 
workers  at  Pittsburgh  to  that  of  Sweden,  and  commands  a 
higher  price.     Its  remarkable  malleability  peculiarly  adapts 
It  for  boiler  iron  and  machinery.    Messrs.  Foster  and  Wliitney 
in  their  late  geological  report  to  the  United  States  government 
speaking  of  the  iron  of  this  .district,  say  :  "  It  is  to  this  source' 
that  the  great  West  will  ultimately  look  for  its  supplies  of  the 
hner  varieties  of  bar-iron  and  steel.     The  '  iron  mountain'  of 
ilissoun  becomes  insignificant  compared  with  these  immense 
cleposites      This  region  also  contains  extensive  beds  of  marble, 
which  will  prove  of  much  economical  value  for  fluxing  the  ores 
and  m  yielding  lime,  while,  with  care,  blocks  for  architectural 
and  ornamental  purposes  can  be  obtained.     Flesh-red  is  the 
prevailing  tint  with  veins  of  a  deeper  hue.     The  novaculite 
slates  are  valuable,  afifording  hones  equal  to  the  Turkey  or 
bcotch  stones."  "^ 

A  railroad  from  St.  Paul  a  little  more  than  one  hundred 


FA<'Tr,l  ,fi:S    FOK   TKAVl 


181 


miles  ill  leiij^tli,  will  unite  the  lake  mid  the  MIsHissij  pi,  and 
piake  ilie  most  important  Imsiucss  point  on  tlie  MissisHippi 
■\  St.  Louis.  It  M'ni  ](!  be  the  tlivect  and  travelled  route 
from  the  Mississippi  vaHey  to  Lake  Superior,  and  open  up  to 
the  fanners  of  Minnesota  a  valuable  market  for  their  surplus 
products.  They  ha\  ithing  to  export  now,  but  ,vill,  in  a 
few  years,  have  an  abundance. 

It  can  not  ''  "  long  before  the  canal  around  the  falls  of  Ste. 
M.'uie  will  \>  ,  onstiuctod,  and  then  with  the  proposed  road, 
we  will  have  a  complete  lake  and  railroad  communication 
with  all  the  commercial  cities  of  the  east.  I  hope  to  be  able 
to  present  facts  that  will  tend  to  convince  all  that  have  the 
pro.sperity  of  IMinnesof  xt  heart,  as  well  as  those  who  are 
socking  safe  railroad  investments  for  their  capital,  that  we 
have  not  too  soon  called  their  attention  '  *he  proposed  enter- 
prise. 

Ar^'ument  is  unnecessary  to  convince  any  person  of  common 
information,  that  the  constructi'  of  this  road  is  of  immense 
iinj)ortan{>e  to  the  prosperity  of  Minnesota  in  general,  and  St. 
Paul  ii)  particular.  It  is  true  that  the  road  will  not  pay  if  im- 
inediatc'ly  constructed,  but  now  is  the  opportune  moment  —  the 
very  time  to  obtain  the  necessary  grant  of  land  from  Congress. 
The  sooner  the  better  ;  and  then  all  doubt  about  the  construc- 
tion of  this  vast  improvcrnent  will  be  removed,  and  St.  Paul 
will  loom  up  on  the  map  as  a  prospective  city  of  the  first 
magnitude. 

Construct  this  road  and  the  mineral  of  Lake  Superior  des- 
tined for  the  Mississippi  valley,  and  gulf  commerce,  will  pass 
through  St.  Paul,  as  well  as  a  large  proportion  of  the  agricul- 
tural .>-  'pplies,  and  southern  products  consumed  on  the  lake. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  river,  we  have  a  country  destined  ere 
many  years,  to  become  the  most  flourishing  agricultural  re- 
gion of  the  west,  and  this  road  will  make  St.  Paul  the  depot 
of  its  products  to  supply  the  lakes,  and  for  shipment  east  and 
to  the  North  Atlantic.  This  road  Avill  bring  St.  Paul  as  near 
in  cost  of  transportation  to  the  eastern  cities,  as  Galena  will 
bo  with  her  railroad  finished,  which  will  insure  the  continu- 
ance at  St.  Paul  of  the  great  mercantile  centre  for  the  trade 


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182 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS    RESOURCES. 


H    ' 


Of  ti.e  northwest.  A  large  city  will  also  grow  up* at  the  head 
of  Lake  Superior,  which  will  be  a  benefit  to  St.  Paul,  because 
It  will  be  the  depot  of  the  lake  trade.  The  two  cities  will  be 
partners  and  mutual  aids  in  prosperity ;  and,  making,  at  the 
same  time,  a  monopoly  and  a  division  of  the  northwestern 
trade,  they  will  sustain  each  other  in  its  accumulation  and 
possession.  Their  relative  position  and  mutual  interests  will 
be  the  same  as  exists  between  Cincinnati  and  Cleveland,  both 
of  which  cities  have  been  vastly  benefited  by  the  iron  road 
which  unites  their  prosperity  and  destiny. 

This  improvement,  as  well  as  all  others  that  will  secure 
cheap  and  expeditious  means  of  travel  and  transportation  to 
and  from  the  states,  will  increase  the  productive  wealth  of  the 
territory  and  the  happiness  of  its  citizens  generally,  and  very 
soon  obviate  the  objection  to  Minnesota  that  it  is  too  far  away 
trom  the  populous  portions  of  the  Union.     Railroads  will  anni- 
hilate the  formidable  distance  which  separates  us  from  our  old 
homes  and  friends  in  the  stites ;  railroads  will  bring  thousands 
and  tens  of  thousands  of  people  and  millions  of  money  to  our 
territory,  that  would  not  otherwise  come ;  railroads  will  save 
our  people  millions  of  dollars  in  the  value  of  time  and  expenses 
of  travel  and  transportation ;  railroads  will  increase  our  steam- 
boat  business,  and  secure  to  Minnesota  the  numerous  advan- 
tages of  an  old  country  combined  with  those  of  a  new. 

If  Congress  could  be  induced  to  grant  sufl5cient  land  for  the 
construction  of  a  railroad  from  St.  Paul  to  Lake  Superior,  the 
tollowmg  results  would  immediately  follow :  It  would  be  uni- 
versally  conceded  that  St.  Paul  must  become  the  great  com- 
mercial  city  of  the  northwest  for  all  time  to  come.     The  cou  i- 
try  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi  would  be  very  soon  taken 
up  and  occupied.     Property  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  would 
enhance  in  value  far  beyond  the  most  sanguine  expectations 
of  IS  present  owners.     No  attempts  would  then  be  made  to 
establish,  on  the  Sioux  side  of  the  river,  at  Mendota  or  any 
other  point,  a  commercial  centre  as  a  rival  of  St  Paul 
^    Now  take  up  the  map,  and  look  at  future  results.  *  There 
18  Lake  Superior,  the  shores  of  which  are  more  valuable  in 
copper  and  iron  than  any  other  portion  of  the  globe ;  and  will 


'iii-.:,.!!' 


FACILITIES   FOR   TRAVEL. 


183 


soon  contain  a  dense  population  of  persons  engaged  in  mines 
and  incidental  pursuits,  all  of  whom  will  be  consumers  of  the 
products  of  agriculture  and  manufactures.  Here,  then,  is  an- 
other California,  with  California  customers.  The  soil  near  the 
lake  is  inferior,  but  farther  to  the  south  and  west  are  the  fer- 
tile lands  of  Minnesota,  destined  to  become  the  most  valuable 
grain-growing  region  of  the  United  States.  The  experiments 
made  already  in  the  cultivation  of  wheat  in  Minnesota  fully 
justify  this  opinion. 

Look  at  the  map,  and  you  will  see  that  the  mineral  of  Lake 
Superior  may  be  transportea  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  via  the 
proposed  road  and  the  Mississippi  river,  cheaper  than  by  any 
other  route.  The  removal  of  the  obstructions  at  the  rapids 
will  obviate  every  difficulty  The  proposed  road  will  there- 
fore greatly  increase  the  demand  for  steamboat  transportation, 
not  only  in  carrying  down  the  mineral  of  the  lake,  but  also  in 
bringing  back  the  products  of  the  south  which  constitute  a 
part  of  northern  consumption. 

The  proposed  road  will  open  a  new  r  ^e  to  the  east,  via 
Lakes  Superior  and  Huron,  and  by  railroad  thence  to  Toronto ; 
thence  across  Lake  Ontario,  and  by  railroad  to  Boston,  New 
York,  and  Philadelphia,  where  our  future  merchants  will  be 
sure  to  purchase  nearly  all  their  goods,  except  perhaps  grocer- 
ies. The  same  route  will  provide  our  future  farmers  with  easy 
access  to  the  eastern  Atlantic  markets. 

One  of  the  future  resources  of  Lake  Superior  will  be  its  im- 
mense and  inexhaustible  fisheries,  the  most  valuable,  all  things 
considered,  in  the  world.  This  branch  of  industry  will  em- 
ploy, at  some  future  day,  a  large  amount  of  capital,  and  a  nu- 
merous population,  dependent  upon  some  other  region  for  most 
of  their  agricultural  supplies.  It  will  also  furnish  a  large 
amount  of  business  for  the  proposed  road  and  steamboats  on 
the  river.  Construct  this  road,  and  all  the  fish,  copper,  and 
iron,  of  Lake  Superior,  consumed  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  and 
transported  beyond  the  gulf  via  the  southern  ports,  will  natu- 
rally and  of  business  necessity  be  reshipped  at  St.  Paul. 

Construct  the  proposed  road,  and  St.  Paul  will  be  an  impor- 
tant point,  and,  with  St.  Anthony's  falls,  a  favorite  resting- 


'^■m. 


184 


MINNESOTA  AND   ITS   RESOUECKS. 


place  for  tl.e  thousancls  who  in  pursuit  of  pleasure  or  business 
will  hereafter  make  tlie  grand  tour  of  North  An.orica. 

i  le  magnificent  enterprise  of  the  North  Pacific  Railroad 
has  been  ah-eady  commenced.  Under  the  able  and  vigorous 
management  of  Governor  Stevens,  we  may  look  for  the  sue- 
cessful  completion  of  the  survey  for  this  route  within  a  few 
months. 

The  general  plan  is  to  operate  from  St.  Paul,  the  starting- 
point,  toward  the  great  bend  of  the  Missouri  river,  and  thence 
on  the  table-land  between  the  tributaries  of  the  Missouri  and 
Saskatchawan  to  *ome  eligible  pass  in  the  Rocky  mountains. 
Ihe  route  will  connect  favorably  with  the  waters  of  the  Mis- 
sissipp,.  Red  river  o^  the  North,  Missouri,  and  Columbia,  the 
most  important  navigable  streams  of  the  United  States. 

1  he  expedition  started  upon  the  great  work,  provided  with 
everything  essential  to  its  success.  The  result  will  be  of  in- 
calculable  value  to  this  country,  and  will  open  up  a  new  and 
brilliant  era  for  Minnesoia. 

One  of  the  first  objects  to  be  accomplished  is  the  opening:  of 
an  immigrant  route  from  St.  Paul  to  the  north  Pacific,  which 
will  be  done  by  next  season. 

The  information  gathered  on  the  expedition  will  be  pre- 
sented  to  the  country  at  the  earliest  possible  time.  The  gov- 
ernment has  issued  instructions  that,  after  the  completion  of 
the  field  examinations,  the  expedition  will  reixlezvous  at  some 
point  in  the  territory  of  Washington,  to  prepare  the  usual  re- 
ports, and  send  to  Washington  at  the  earliest  practicable  mo- 
ment a  summary  of  the  principal  events  of  the  expedition,  and 
a  railn)ad  report  to  be  laid  before  Congress  on  or  before  the 
first  of  February,  1854. 

The  tide  of  immigration  on  the  Pacific  is  flowing  northward 
to  the  neighborhood  of  Puget's  sound,  a  fine  country,  aboundino. 
in  great  natural  resources.  The  capital  of  the  new  territory 
of  Washington,  Octavia,  will  no  doubt  be  located  in  that  vi- 
cinity, on  a  site  which  will  become  a  commercial  city  of  the 
first  rank.  "^ 

The  distance  from  St.  Paul  to  Puget's  sound  is  only  about 
fourteen  hundred  miles,  and  a  direct  route  would  pass  over  a 


FACTr.TTTES   FOR   TRAVEL, 


185 


rich  country,  affording  an  ahnndance  of  pasture  for  stock,  and 
good  water  for  man  and  beast.  No  deserts  intervene,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  best  passes  through  the  Rocky 
mountains  are  to  be  found  on  this  route.  This  is  tlie  opinion 
of  scientific  men  engaged  in  the  work  of  survey ;  and,  relying 
upon  otlier  sources  of  information,  there  is  sufficient  reason  to 
believe  that  such  is  the  fact. 

It  is  now  the  opinion  of  some  of  the  best-informed  men  of 
the  country,  and  which  is  entertained  by  several  of  the  most 
able  and  influential  United  States  senators,  that  the  Central 
Pacific  Route,  by  way  of  the  South  pass,  is  impracticable. 
The  country  through  which  that  route  passes  is  generally  inifit 
for  cultivation ;  the  altitude  of  the  summit  is  greater,  the  snows 
deeper:  that  route,  in  brief,  is  out  of  the  question.  It  is  be- 
lieved, however,  that  there  is  a  route  farther  south,  through 
Texas  or  New  Mexico,  and  along  the  Gila  to  San  Diego,  or 
tlirough  Walker's  pass  to  some  point  farther  north. 

The  other  route,  upon  which  the  public  mind  is  becoming 
settled  as  the  best  road,  is  that  now  being  explored  by  Major 
Stevens.  It  passes  through  a  better  country  than  any  other 
named,  and  its  eastern  termination  will  strike  the  most  popu- 
lous and  productive  zone  of  the  continent.  That  its  comple- 
tion will  be  witnessed  in  a  few  years  we  have  no  doubt.  As 
the  work  progresses,  population  will  Loop  in  its  advance,  open- 
ing farms,  building  towns  and  villages,  thus  uniting  the  Atlan- 
tic and  Pacific  by  one  continuous  chain  of  civilization.  St.  Paul 
being  at  the  junction  of  the  road  and  the  navigable  head-waters 
of  the  Mississippi,  must  become  a  great  central  entrep6t  of  trade 
and  travel,  and  soon  grow  up  into  a  commercial  city  of  the 
first  class. 

If  the  route  is  found  as  favorable  as  is  now  believed,  meas- 
ures should  be  taken  at  the  next  session  of  Congress  to  provide 
protection  by  next  season  for  emigrants  who  may  desire  to 
take  that  road  to  the  Pacific.  A  cordon  of  military  posts  will 
bo  necessary  to  keep  the  Blackfeet  Indians  in  check.  This 
road  (marked  out  by  the  exploring  party,  and  protection  ex- 
tended to  emigrants)  will  at  once  become  the  great  route  to 
the  Pacific.     In  the  spring  and  early  summer,  our  levee,  from 


186 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   EESOUECES. 


tlio  lower  to  the  upper  landing,  would  be  lined  with  steamboats, 
and  the  town  filled  with  voyageurs  and  their  effects. 

The  progress  of  St.  Paul,  thus  far,  is  without  parallel  in  the 
infant  growth  of  western  towns ;  but,  in  view  of  the  reasonable 
prospects,  its  growth  for  the  next  few  years  will  be  far  more 
remarkable,  and  with  this  progress  the  whole  territory  will  ad- 
vance with  equally  rapid  strides. 

I  regard  this  Pacific  railroad  project  as  the  great  enterprise 
of  the  age,  in  comparison  with  which  all  others,  however  im- 
portant  in  a  local  point  of  view,  sink  into  absolute  insignifi- 
cance.  The  day  which  will  witness  the  junction  of  the  Atlan- 
tic and  Pacific  coasts,  by  means  of  a  perfect  railroad  commu- 
nication, will  be  remembered  as  one  on  which  the  bonds  of 
union  between  the  extremes  of  our  country  were  riveted  for  all 
time  to  come,  and  the  commerce  of  the  world  secured  to  our 
own  citizens. 

From  the  knowledge  we  have,  imperfect  as  it  is,  of  the  to- 
pography of  the  region  to  be  traversed,  wo  are  justified  in  the 
conclusion  that  the  northern  route  is  far  more  favorable  for 
railroad  purposes  than  those  hitherto  proposed.  The  cele- 
brated Kit  Carson,  in  a  lately-published  letter,  denies  the  prac- 
ticability of  any  other  of  the  southern  routes  than  that  through 
Walker's  pass ;  and  we  know  that  even  that  is  liable  to  objec- 
tion,  because  of  its  winding  and  circuitous  character,  which 
will  necessarily  increase  the  length  and  the  expense  of  railroai^. 
construction  to  an  indefinite  extent. 

It  is  stated  that  Major  Ogden,  a  chief  factor  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company,  long  resident  on  the  Pacific  slope,  and  whose 
occupation  required  him  to  become  acquainted  with  the  nature 
of  the  country  between  Puget's  sound  and  the  Cascade  mount- 
ams,  asserts  that  it  is  eminently  favorable  for  the  construction 
of  a  railroad.     Old  trappers,  who  have  many  times  traversed 
It,  corroborate  his  impressions.     The  passage  of  the  Cascade 
and  Rocky  ranges  will  constitute  the  great  obstacles  to  be 
overcome ;  but  as  the  depression  of  these  mountains  is  much 
greater  in  the  high  latitudes  of  forty-six  and  forty-seven  de- 
grees, it  is  reasonable  to  conclude  that  the  passes  are  corre- 
spondingly more  practicable  than  those  farther  south.    Little 


eamboats, 

Ilel  in  the 
easonable 
>  far  more 
Y  will  ad- 

mterprise 
vever  im- 
insignifi- 
!ie  Atlan- 
1  commu- 
bonds  of 
ed  for  all 
3d  to  our 

F  the  to- 
3d  in  the 
rable  for 
he  cele- 
the  prac- 
through 
to  objec- 
r,  which 
railroar*. 

ludson's 
d  whose 
e  nature 
!  mouut- 
truction 
aversed 
Cascade 
s  to  be 
s  much 
ven  de- 
B  corre- 
Little 


FACILiriES   FOR  TRAVEL. 

is  known  of  the  country  between  these  ranges ;  but  the  valley 
of  the  north  fork  of  the  Columbia  extends  through  it,  and  will 
probably  afford  a  line  for  a  railway  should  all  others  present 
insurmountable  difficulties.  I  know  that  from  the  base  of  the 
Rocky  mountains,  on  this  side,  to  the  Mississippi,  few  obstruc- 
tions will  be  met  with,  as  a  continuous  and  for  the  most  part 
level  prairie  is  to  be  found  between  those  points. 

The  railroad  across  our  territory  to  Puget's  sound,  and  that 
from  our  northern  boundary  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  once  com- 
phted  —  and  the  latter  may  be  regarded  as  a  mere  question 
of  time  —  what  bounds  can  be  conceived  to  the  prosperity  of 
Minnesota  ?  The  very  fact  that  such  measures  are  proposed, 
and  will  sooner  or  later  be  perfected,  must  have  a  direct  ten- 
dency to  increase  immigration  to  our  territory.  We  have  a 
fine  climate,  a  soil  rich  in  mineral  and  agricultural  resources, 
and  a  profusion  of  good  wood  and  pure  water.  The  men  only 
are  needed  to  profit  by  a  proper  use  of  these  advantages,  and 
to  add  by  their  industry  and  enterprise  to  the  general  wealth. 
We  are  daily  receiving  additions  to  our  numbers ;  and  when  it 
is  known  that  Minnesota  is  to  be  made  the  great  thoroughfare 
in  the  communication  between  the  eastern  and  western  con- 
fines of  the  Union,  we  may  set  it  down  as  a  fixed  fact  that 
immigration  will  flow  in  like  a  flood,  and  our  fertile  prairies 
and  woodlands  teem  with  the  life  and  energy  of  a  numerous 
but  not  redundant  population. 

At  a  railroad  meeting  held  at  St.  Paul,  on  the  24th  day  of 
August,  1853,  Dr.  Otis  Hoyt,  of  Hudson,  Wisconsin,  the  enter- 
prising president  of  the  Northwestern  railroad,  addressed  the 
meeting,  giving  a  brief  history  of  railroads  and  railroad  projects 
in  the  United  States.  The  railroad  spirit  had  commenced  in 
Massachusetts  and  rapidly  spread  in  every  direction,  carry  ir" 
with  it  wealth  and  prosperity.  New  York,  looking  with  a 
jealous  eye  to  the  increasing  wealth  of  Massachusetts,  had,  in 
the  face  of  all  the  derision  and  contempt  heaped  upon  the  Erie 
canal,  which  was  called  "  Clinton's  Folly,"  *•  Clinton's  Ditch," 
&c.,  caught  the  spirit,  and  thoreby  had  herself  become  im- 
mensely wealthy. 

The  cost  of  the  various  railroads  in  New  England  and  New 


i 
188  MINNT'SOTA    AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 

York,  rangfd  from  forty  tlireo  to  sixty-tlirco  tliousand  dollars 
per  mile,  but  are  all  payin;^  larp^e  dividenda,  and  the  immense 
profits  of  many  of  the  roads  in  New  York  was  truly  wonderful. 
In  the  old  states,  experience  shows  that  if  the  business  along 
the  route  of  a  proposed  railroad  will  pay  three  fifths  of  the 
expense  of  constructing  and  operating  it,  the  increase  of  busi- 
ness before  the  road  could  be  completed,  would  be  equal  to  the 
remaining  two  fifths. 

I'he  speaker  had  become  well  acquainted  with  the  route  of 
the  proposed  railroad  from  Madison  to  St.  Paul,  and  from  its 
feasibility  believed  the  cost  of  construction  could  not  be  more 
than  fifteen,  or  at  most  eighteen  thousand  dollars  per  mile. 
Ho  had  statistics  (which  he  read)  showing  the  business  now 
done  on  the  route,  would  pay  more  than  fifteen  per  cent,  on 
the  cost  of  building  and  completing  the  road. 

The  estimates  below  are  compiled  from  data  as  accurate  as 
could  be  obtained,  and  are  certainly  less  than  the  business 
actually  done,  and  will  bear  no  comparison  with  the  amount 
which  the  road  would  do  when  constructed. 

"WISCONSIN    RIVER,    LAST    fEAn. 

Too  tons  freight  at  $7.50  per  ton $6,250 

1,000  passengers  at  $12 12^000 

Total $17,260 

BLACK   RIVER. 

800  tons  frojjjht  at  $10  per  ton,  which  is  boated  up 

from  the  Mississippi  in  flat  boats $3,000 

600  passengers  at  $3 1,500 

Total $4,500 

CHIPPEWA,    MENOMINEE,    AND   EATJ   GALA,   EAU  CLAIRE. 

800  tons  freights  $13  per  ton $10,400 

1,200  passengers  at  $3 3,600 

Total $14,000 

ST.    CROIX   VALLSY. 

Freight  estimates  taken  from  merchants  and  lumber- 

"'en $28,400 

Passengers  at  $4.40 19,050 

Total $47,460 


FACILITIES   FOB   TRAVEL. 


189 


ST.    I'AUL. 

163  nrrivuls  from  Gftlenii  and  l)elow  and  as  many 
depiirtures,  averaging  76  pusHengora  each  way  at 
$4  per  puHsngo ' $81,800 

15,800  tons  freight  at  $7.50  per  ton 1'61,750 

Total $1  <JG,550 

Grand  total $27y,6«0 

Allowing  an  increase  of  business  of  three  fifths  made  by  the 
existence  of  the  rcailroad,  which  is  a  safe  calculation  in  a  new 
country  with  rich  farming  lands  yet  unoccupied,  it  would  make 
$447,500. 

Allowing  also  an  increase  of  business  of  thirty  per  cent,  per 
annum  —  which  is  far  below  the  actual  increase  for  the  last 
four  years  without  railroads — at  the  end  of  the  next  four  years 
it  Avould  amount  to  the  round  sum  of  nine  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  or  the  interest  of  seven  per 
cent,  on  fourteen  millions  of  dollars. 

Allowing  that  the  cost  of  the  road  is  four  and  a  half  millions, 
which  is  the  gross  estimated  cost  from  Madison  to  St.  Croix, 
and  that  only  one  half  of  the  business  is  done  by  railroad,  the 
stock  will  yield  an  income  of  eighteen  and  a  quarter  per  cent, 
on  the  investment. 

Furthermore,  the  increase  in  the  value  of  lands  on  the  line 
and  about  the  large  towns,  will  amount  to  more  than  enough 
to  build  five  such  railroads. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  construction  of  railroads, 
cvon  in  the  eastern  states,  has  caused  an  increase  of  business 
on  the  line  of  the  road  between  the  commencement  and  com- 
pletion of  the  road  of  about  thirty  per  cent.  The  increase  in 
the  West  has  been  much  greater,  and  we  believe  that,  owing 
to  the  peculiar  and  various  resources  of  the  district  of  country 
through  which  the  road  between  Madison  and  St.  Paul  would 
pass,  would  justify  an  estimate  of  an  increase  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  per  cent,  in  the  business  that  will  naturally  flow  to 
that  road,  between  the  present  and  the  period  when  the  road 
will  be  completed,  allowing  the  work  to  be  hastened  by  the 
luost  energetic  exertions  for  its  completion. 


1^^ 

1    i,, 

Ifi 

«- 

r 

4  ':..-. 

#1 


190 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOUKCES. 


\]  f 


Tho  charter  of  the  Nortliwestern  railroad  was  granted  l)y 
the  legislature  of  Wisconsin,  April  17,  1852,  and  the  Western 
Minnesota  charter  was  granted  by  the  legislature  of  Minnesota, 
March  3,  1853.  These  roads  are  designed  to  connect  on  tho 
St.  Croix,  and  extend  from  Madison,  in  Wisconsin,  by  St.  Paul 
and  St.  Anthony,  to  tho  western  boundary  of  tho  territory,  and 
ultimately  to  tho  Pacific. 

It  will  bo  recollected  that  the  lino  of  this  road  will  pass 
through  and  connect  with  the  most  valuable  and  extensive 
pine  region  in  the  northwest.  It  will  also  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  lumbering  business  is  at  this  time  being  extensively 
increased  in  all  the  lumbering  districts,  preparatory  to  meeting 
tho  increased  demand  for  lumber  which  must  follow  tho  con- 
struction of  railroads  to  intersect  the  Mississippi. 

The  road  contemplated,  and  which  will  doubtless  be  com- 
pleted  at  an  early  day,  from  Galena  through  Iowa,  to  the 
Minnesota  valley,  with  a  branch  to  St.  Paul,  will,  in  connec 
tion  with  the  Wisconsin  Northwestern  road,  open  our  territory, 
to  the  markets,  either  in  the  south  or  east,  in  a  manner  to  give 
Minnesota  a  decided  business  advantage. 


STEAMBOAT  AND   BIVEB  TRADE,   ETC. 


191 


CHAPTER   XL    - 


STEAMBOAT   AND    RIVER   TRADE,    ETC. 

Perhaps  the  arrival  of  the  first  steamboat  at  Minnesota,  waa 
as  important  an  epoch  as  any  event  since  the  discovery  of  tliat 
river  by  Jonathan  Carver,  or  the  wonderful  advent  of  Henne- 
pin, sixty  years  earlier  at  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony.  It  is 
difficult  for  us  to  imagine  how  civilization  could  have  breasted 
the  strong  current  of  the  Mississippi,  in  birch  canoes ;  and  it 
is  very  certain,  that  without  the  aid  of  steam,  there  would 
have  been  here  n..  territorial  government  of  Minnesota,  no  St. 
Paul,  and  but  few  to  take  an  interest  in  the  history  of  those 
early  times  in  Minnesota. 

The  first  steamboat  that  ever  came  up  the  Mississippi  river 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota  river,  was  a  stern-wheel  boat 
named  the  Virginia,  in  May,  1823.  It  was  a  day  long  to  bo 
remembered.  The  Dakotas  were  then  in  full  possession  of 
both  sides  of  the  river.  The  Indians  say  they  had  dreamed 
the  night  before,  of  seeing  some  monster  of  the  deep,  which 
frightened  them  very  much.  As  the  boat  approched  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  they  stood,  in  multitudes  upon  the  shore,  men, 
squaws,  and  papooses,  gaping  with  astonishment  to  see  the 
huge  monster  advancing  against  the  current.  They  really 
thought  it  some  enormous  water-god,  coughing  and  spouting 
water  in  every  direction,  and  puffing  out  his  hot  breath.  The 
peasants  of  Europe  would  not  be  worse  frightened,  if  Mount 
Etna  should  get  upon  legs,  and  travel  across  the  continent, 
belching  forth  fire  and  lava.  The  women  and  children  fled 
for  the  woods,  their  hair  streaming  in  the  wind,  while  some  of 
the  warriors,  retreating  to  a  more  respectful  distance,  stood 
their  ground  until  the  boat  passed  and  landed.     The  boat 


192 


I  : 


I 


11  * 


MINNKSOTA    AND    Il^l    ItK7.O(TR0ES. 


I!  Hi 


In  ing  Olio  of  tlioso  awfiil  lii«,'li-|)rcs.saro  boats,  wliieh  })low  off 
Rteam  with  n  iioisi-  likn  unliottliii^-  nii  (■nrlliniinkc,  wln;n  kIio 
•'  l>lcvv  out"  Hliook  with  terror  tho  knees  of  the  stoutest  braves; 
and  ill  a  twiiikliiif,',  every  red  skin  had  vanished  in  tho  woods, 
Bcreainiii},'  and  shoutinj^  with  all  their  might. 

On  tho  17th  of  iSei)teniher,  1819,  Col.  Leavenworth,  with 
some  troops,  first  came  up,  and  estahlished  a  cantonment  near 
(Jfimello's,  at  the  ferry  on  tho  west  side  of  the  Minnesota  river. 
lie  next  removed  his  quarters  to  camp  Coldwater,  a  little  way 
up  the  Mississippi,  at  the  phico  where  the  two-story  stone  hotel 
now  stands  upon  tho  prairie.  In  tho  winter  of  1820  and 
ISSil,  soldiers  were  sent  up  to  Rum  river  to  get  out  pine 
lumber  to  build  Fort  Snelling.  In  the  meantime,  square  timber 
was  hewn,  of  hard  wood,  along  up  the  shore  and  on  the  islands 
of  tho  Mississippi,  to  make  two  block-houses,  for  immediate 
use,  at  the  present  site  of  tho  fort,  which  were  so  far  completed 
ns  to  bo  occupied  by  the  troops  in  the  winter  of  1822  and 
1823;  after  which  tho  work  of  building  tho  garrison  was 
crowded  on  with  much  vigor.  The  laboi-  of  tho  building  was 
done,  nearly  or  quite  all,  by  tho  soldiers.  The  fort,  however, 
when  completed,  cost  about  ninety  thousand  dollars. 

Tho  following  summary  shows  the  least  height  of  the  ther- 
mometer, with  the  coldest  days  during  the  past  seven  years, 
together  with  tho  closing  of  the  navigation,  the  first  arrival  in 
the  spring,  and  the  total  number  of  arrivals  yearly  :  — 

In  1814,  there  were  forty -one  arrivals.  Navigation  closed 
November  24th.  In  1845,  forty-eight  arrivals.  The  Minne- 
sota and  Mississippi  closed  November  24th  and  26th.  The 
C')ldest  day  of  184r)-'6,  was  February  26th.  Thermometer 
eighteen  degrees  below  zero.  In  1846,  there  were  but  twenty- 
four  arrivals.  The  decrease  was  caused  by  low  water.  The 
rivers  closed  November  26th.  The  Minnesota  opened  again 
December  1st,  and  closed  finally  December  3d.  Coldest  day 
of  tho  winter,  January  27th  ;  thermometer  twenty-seven  de- 
grees below  zero.  In  1847,  there  were  forty-seven  arrivals. 
The  Minnesota  closed  November  24th,  and  the  Mississippi  the 
29th.  Coldest  day  of  the  winter,  January  9th  ;  twenty-eight 
degrees  below  zero.     In    1848,  sixty-three  arrivals.      Rivers 


KTI.AMIJOAT   AND   KIVKU  TUADK,    Kl'vj. 


11)3 


closod  November  8th.  T'  •'  jVIiuucsotn  opened  ngnin,  but 
closed  ill  a  few  days.  Coldest  day  of  the  winter,  February 
18tli ;  thirty-seven  degrees  below  zero.  In  1810,  ei|j;hty-fivo 
arrivals.  Rivers  closed  December  Gth  and  8th.  Coldest  day, 
December  30th;  thirt)'-ono  degrees  below  zero.  In  1850, 
one  hundred  and  four  arrivals.  Ilivcrs  closed  December  3d. 
Coldest  day,  Jaiinary  30th,  1S61  ;  tliernu)meter  thirty-two  and 
a  half  degrees  Ixdow  zero.  In  1851,  one  hundred  and  nine- 
teen arrivals.  The  ]\lississippi  ch)sed  November  28tli.  lu 
1852,  one  hundred  and  seventy-one  arrivals.  The  Mississippi 
closed  November  18th. 

'^riie  last  boat  arrival  of  1851  was  the  Nominee  ;  she  left  on 
the  20th  of  November.  The  last  boat  arrival  of  1852  was  the 
I^laek  Hawk,  Captain  Lodwick ;  she  left  on  the  eve  of  10th 
November. 

The  periods  of  the  first  arrivals  in  the  spring  are  a8  follows, 
viz. : — 

1844,  April  Gth,  Otter,  Captain  Ilan-is  ;  1845,  April  Ist, 
Otter,  Captain  Harris;  1S4G,  March  31bt,  Lynx,  Atchison; 
1847,  April  17th,  Cora,  Throckmorton;  1848,  April  7th,  Sen- 
ator, Harris;  1849,  April  10th,  Dr.  Franklin  No.  2,  Harris ; 
Highland  Mary  No.  2,  Atchison,  and  Senator,  Smith,  arrived 
same  day.  1850,  April  19th,  Highland  Mary  No.  2,  Atchison, 
and  Nominee,  Smith,  arrived  same  day,  crowded  with  passen- 
gers. 1851,  April  4ih,  steamboat  Nominee,  Captain  Smith, 
arrived  at  six  A.  M.,  with  one  hundred  passengers.  She  left 
Galena  March  31st,  and  arrived  at  Stillwater  April  3d  ;  was 
much  retarded  by  high  winds,  &c.  1852,  April  16th,  Nominee, 
Captain  Smith,  and  Excelsior,  arrived  the  same  day.  1853, 
April  11th,  West  Newton,  Captain  D.  S.  Harris.  The  Missis- 
sippi was  clear  of  ice  this  year,  at  St.  Paul,  on  the  1st  of 
April.  The  steamboat  Greek  Slave,  which  wintered  here  for 
the  first  time,  started  upon  the  4th  of  April  for  the  Minnesota 
river.  She  returned  upon  the  9th,  with  one  wheel-house 
carried  off  from  contact  with  the  trees.  She  went  up  as  far 
as  Mankato  city,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Blue-Earth  river.  On 
the  10th,  she  started  down  to  force  a  passage  through  Lake 

9 


194 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   EESOUECES. 


I  4 


W  i! 


li  i 


Pepin,  met  the  West  NcM'ton  coming  through,  and  returned  iu 
company  with  her  on  the  11th. 

Average  closing  of  the  navigation.  November  26th.  The 
avemge  spring  arrivals  of  the  above  is  the  8th  of  April.  On 
an  average,  the  boats  cease  running  two  weeks  before  the  close 
of  navigation  here,  and  are  detained  below  Lake  Pepin  the 
same  time  in  the  spring  after  the  river  opens  at  St.  Paul;  the 
navigation  being  interrupted  from  the  15th  of  November  to 
the  8th  of  April — less  than  five  months  in  all. 

Above  and  below  the  lake,  the  river  is  only  closed  on  an 
average  of  less  tiian  four  monlhs  in  the  year,  viz.,  from  26th 
November  to  25tli  March. 

The  Mississippi  closes  unlike  most  streams.  Its  cuiTent 
being  swift,  the  ice  does  hot  stay  fixed  for  many  days  after 
the  river  is  nearly  covered  with  it.  But  the  ice  keeps  pressing 
along,  and,  if  the  weather  does  not  relax,  the  ice  becomes 
more  thickly  set  ov<  r  the  stream  in  patches  ;  then  the  patches 
huddle  and  crowd,  and  climb  and  dive,  till  the  hour  of  sealing 
their  destiny  fixes  them  for  four  and  a  half  months  in  statu. 
So  the  river  is  left  rough  with  the  protruding  edges  of  the 
flakes  which  were  suddenly  arrested  in  their  rampant  career. 

The  number  of  steamboat  arrivals  at  St.  Paul,  in  1852,  was 
one  hundred  and  seventy-one.  Of  these,  one  hundred  and 
thirty -one  were  from  Galena,  twenty-two  from  St.  Louis,  thir- 
teen from  the  Minnesota  river,  three  from  the  St.  Croix,  and 
one  from  Lake  Pepin.  There  were  seventeen  different  steam- 
boats here  *hut  year  ;  about  double  the  number  that  has  ever 
been  here  in  any  former  year. 

The  Nominee  made  twenty-seven  trips  from  Galena,  including 
once  that  she  only  came  to  the  Pig's  Eye  bar,  and  not  including 
the  trip  in  the  spring  that  she  only  came  up  to  the  foot  of  Lake 
Pepin. 

The  Dr.  Franklin  made  twenty-nine  trips.  This  does  not 
include  the  last  trip  she  made,  when  she  left  her  St.  Paul  freight 
at  Point  Douglas,  and  carried  the  mail  back  with  her. 

The  Excelsior  made  nine  trips  from  St.  Louis. 

The  Tiger  made  nine  trins — three  from  Galena,  three  from 
Maukato,  two  from  the  St.  Croix,  one  from  Lake  Pepin. 


STEAMBOAT   AND   KIVER   TRADE,  ETC. 


196 


urned  ui 

h.  The 
>ril.  On 
the  close 
epin  the 
aul;  the 
jmber  to 

sd  OD  an 
•om  26th 

cuiTent 
lys  after 
pressing 
becomes 

patches 
P  sealing 
in  statu. 
8  of  the 
t  career. 
552,  was 
red  and 
lis,  thir- 
oix,  and 
t  steam- 
las  ever 

icluding 
icluding 
of  Lake 

oes  not 
I  freight 


ee  from 


The  Franklin  Ko.  2  made  seven  trips  from  St.  Louis. 

The  Caleb  Cope  made  five  trips  from  Galena. 

The  St.  Paul  made  eleven  trips  —  seven  from  Galena,  and 
four  from  St.  Louis. 

The  West  Newton  made  fifteen  trips  from  Galena. 

The  Ben  Campbell  made  eight  trips  from  Galena. 

The  Black-Hawk  made  twenty-one  trips  —  fourteen  from 
Galena,  three  from  Mankato,  two  from  Babcock's,  one  from 
Traverse  des  Sioux,  and  one  from  the  St.  Croix. 

The  Jenny  Lind  made  five  trips — two  from  Galena,  one 
from  Babcock's,  one  from  Traverse  des  Sioux,  and  one  from 
Holmes'  She  also  made  one  trip  to  Point  Douglas,  which  is 
not  included  in  the  above  reckoning. 

The  Martha  No.  2  made  seven  trips  from  Galena. 

The  Greek  Slave  made  nine  trips  from  Galena. 

The  Luella  madei^ifeii*  trips  from  Galena. 

The  Enterprise  made  two  trips— one  from  Galena,  one  from 
Little  Rapids  on  the  Minnesota-*  ' 

The  Regulator  and  Geneva  each  niade  one  trip  from  St. 
Louis. 

From  this  it  will  be  seen,  that  in  1852  there  were  fifty-two 
arrivals  more  than  the  year  previous,  notwithstanding  the 
season  was  three  weeks  shorter,  and  an  extreme  low  water  for 
more  than  half  the  time.  This  is  an  increase  of  about  forty- 
five  per  cent.,  and  had  the  water  been  favorable  for  navigation, 
the  season  of  1852  would  doubtless  have  showed  an  increase 
of  over  seventy  per  cent. 

Another  fact  worthy  of  note  is  observable  from  an  inspection 
of  these  statistics.  It  is  this  :  while  the  number  of  arrivals 
from  Galena  has  been  increasing  yearly,  and  has  almost 
doubled  since  last  year,  the  number  from  St.  Louis  has  been 
rapidly  diminishing.  The  account  stands  thus:  In  1850 
there  were  forty  arrivals  from  St.  Louis  ;  in  1851,  thirty-five ; 
and  in  1852  there  were  but  twenty-two.  The  rapid  decrease 
the  latter  year  may  in  a  measure  be  accounted  for  by  the  low 
water ;  but  this  does  not  explain  it  all.  The  fact  is.  Galena, 
with  iier  niteeii  or  twenty  steaniuoats,  nearly  aionopolizes  the 
carrying-trade  between  St.  Louis  and  that  city,  and  all  points 


196 


BIINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


above  ;  and  although  our  trade  with  St.  Louis  has  l-'igely  in- 
creased, yet  the  number  of  boats  making  trips  from  that  city 
to  St.  Paul  has  diminished  in  as  great  a  proportion ;  and  we 
consider  it  very  doubtful,  supposing  next  season  to  be  favor- 
able to  navigation,  whether  it  will  show  much  of  an  increase 
in  the  number  of  arrivals  from  St,  Louis. 

It  seems  impossible  that  Congress  can  overlook  the  immense 
naiional  importance  of  making  the  navigation  of  the  Missis- 
sippi unobstructed  from  St.  Paul  down  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico. 
Why  is  it  ?  Can  it  be  because  the  states  down  the  river  are 
so  ravenous  for  grants  of  public  land,  that  the  government  is 
unwilling  to  give  us  an  appropriation  of  money  for  the  rapids, 
in  addition  to  grants  of  land  to  the  states,  for  fear  of  doing  too 
much  foi:  the  West  ?  The  West  wants  cheap  communication 
more  than  lands ;  and  the  main  artery  more  than  little  rivers. 
If  we  had  a  railroad  from  St.  Paul  to  New  Orleans,  we  should 
not  rest  quiet  if  it  were  obstructed  atRockisland  and  Keokuk; 
but  having  a  river,  which  is  better,  with  only  two  obstructions 
in  it,  which  might  be  removed  for  less  money  than  the  cost  of 
a  week's  idle  debate  in  Congress,  we  sleep  over  it,  and  let 
Congress  sleep  over  it,  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  continue 
to  let  our  little  steamboats  crawl,  and  scratch,  and  scrabble 
over  the  rocky  bottom  of  the  river  every  year,  carrying  but  a 
little  goods  at  a  time,  and  that  in  lighters.  Make  the  navi- 
gation of  this  river  what  it  ought  to  be,  and  our  boats  would 
double  in  size  and  capacity;  insurances  and  freights,  and  the 
cost  of  pilotage,  would  soon  fall  one  half.  In  every  foot  of 
lumber  we  raft,  in  every  bushel  of  grain  we  ship,  in  every  cup 
of  coffee  we  drink,  we  are  taxed,  in  consequence  of  the  want 
of  cheap  navigation  on  this  river.  TJie  whole  west,  from  Pem- 
bina to  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  ought  to  light  down  upon  Congress,  and 
sting  that  stupid  body,  besiege  it,  harass  it,  beleaguer  it,  into 
immediate  compliance  with  ihe  demand  of  half  a  continent. 

The  number  of  steamboat  arrivals  the  present  year  will  be 
upwards  of  three  hundred — of  course  including  those  from 
the  Minnesota  river.  The  increase  from  forty-one  to  over  three 
hundred,  from  1844  to  the  present  timej  certainlv  sneaks  vol- 
umes of  the  future  navigation,  besides  the  prospective  railroads 


STEAMBOAT   AND  RIVER  T         'JE,   ETC. 


197 


yet  to  radiate  to  and  from  St.  Paul,  b  )r  seven  steamboats 
have  navigated  the  Minnesota  river  tins  season,  each  loaded 
with  freight  on  every  trip.  One  boat,  the  "  Clarion,"  has  paid 
for  herself  several  times  from  her  freight  and  passenger  pro- 
ceeds. It  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  from  six  to  ten  boats 
lying  at  the  St.  Paul  levee,  all  freighted. 


198 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


t,  ? 


CHAPTER   XII. 


THE      INDIAN    TRIBES SIOUX,     CHIPPEWAS,     AND    WINNEBAGOES. 


^5   ;  !   >■ 


■'  '  4 


*    *     *     "  Art8  shall  every  wild  explore, 
Trace  every  wave,  and  culture  every  shore." 

In  Mr,  CamplDell's  poem,  "The  Pleasures  of  Hope,"  we  find 
this  striking  and  very  true  prophecy;  and,  in  Minnesota, 
before  ten  years  shall  have  passed  away,  it  will  be  well 
verified. 

A  treaty  Avith  the  Sioux  Indians  has  been  consummated,  and 
tliat  their  stay  on  the  ceded  land  will  be  short,  no  one  can 
doubt.  A  new  home  will  then  present  scenes  which  will  pen- 
etrate the  heart  of  every  family ;  while  the  pale  faces,  who 
occupy  their  new  territory,  will  experience  alike  the  usual 
pleasure  and  privation  of  frontier  life. 

The  change  which  is  soon  to  take  place,  reminds  one  of  tho 
sad  reality  and  fatality  which  have  befallen  all  the  tribes  of 
Indians  in  North  America  which  have  come  in  contact  with 
the  whites,  and  were  of  necessity  compelled  to  sell  their  lands. 
Indeed  there  is  no  uncivilized  shore  on  the  face  of  tlie  globe 
Avhere  the  white  man  has  trodden,  but  his  controlling  influence 
has  been  felt  by  the  people  who  inhabited  it.  What,  then, 
docs  tho  history  of  the  past  present  of  the  Sioux  ?  What, 
then,  will  the  annals  of  the  future  reveal,  of  their  wandering 
from  region  to  region,  of  their  poverty,  of  their  vices  and  their 
degradation — outcasts  and  exiles  from  the  home  of  their 
childhood  ? 

About  tliiity  years  ago  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  resided  east  of 
the  Mississippi  river,  and  their  number  was  probably  twice  or 


EBAGOES. 


'  we  find 

innesota, 

be  well 

ited,  and 
one  can 
will  pen- 
ces,  who 
he  usual 

le  of  tho 
tribes  of 
act  with 
ir  lands, 
lie  globe 
nfluence 
at,  then, 
What, 
indering 
nd  their 
of  their 

east  of 
twice  or 


THE   INDIAN   TRIBES. 


109 


thrice  as  great  as  at  present.  Their  villages,  their  fields,  and 
the  unbroken  forests,  presented  primitive  life  and  primeval 
grandeur;  but  soon  came  the  pale-faces  among  them,  and  the 
woodman's  axe  was  heard  to  break  the  solitude  of  ages,  and 
warn  them  of  an  impending  fate.  Their  struggle  against  im- 
provement was  in  vain.  And  where  are  they  now  ?  and  what 
is  their  condition  ?  They  were  removed  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and 

"  Where  prowled  the  wolf,  and  where  the  hunter  roved, 
Faith  raised  her  altars  to  the  God  she  loved," 

Their  homes,  where  old  men  had  sung  to  youth  the  achieve- 
ments which  they  had  gained  in  strife,  and  where  they  had 
repelled  the  attacks  of  deadly  foes,  were  changed  into  fields 
for  harvest,  and  their  songs  and  their  chivalry  thought  of  only 
as  dreams  of  things  that  were.  Again,  after  a  few  brief  years, 
the  white  man  claimed  the  home  that  had  given  birth  to  the 
youth  of  their  nation  ;  and  since  then  they  have  been  removed, 
until  they  have  finally  found  a  home  —  if  such  it  can  be  called 
in  this  day  of  emigration  —  on  the  Missouri  river,  where  they 
may  linger  out  a  few  years  of  wretchedness. 

The  fate  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  is  but  what  has  followed 
other  Indian  tribes,  and  the  Sioux  must  alike  share  a  miser- 
able destiny,  and  dwindle  away,  and,  like  many  nations,  once 
powerful,  become  extinct ;  and  then  a  few  centuries  shall 
sweep  by,  and,  as  mouldered  empires  of  the  earth,  the  glory 
of  their  chivalry  and  power  will  be  known  but  in  history  and 
song. 

The  Sioux  number  more  than  twenty-five  thousand  souls, 
and  their  territory  extends  from  the  ceded  lands  in  Iowa  and 
Missouri,  to  the  territory  belonging  to  the  Assiniboin^  and 
other  tribes,  which  divides  their  northern  boundary  from  British 
America.  Their  limits  extend  <?ntli westward  across  the  Mis- 
souri, as  near  to  the  Rocky  mouni,ains  as  their  roving  bands, 
known  as  the  Tetons,  can  follow  their  buffalo  ranges.  The 
Sioux  of  the  plains,  by  far  more  populous  bands  than  those 
who  live  nearer  the  Mississippi,  are  roving  bands,  and  subsist 
by  hunting  the  buffalo.     As  many  as  nine  hundred  lodges  of 


I  I 


200 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RT^SOUKCES. 


tliom  were  encamped  together  on  the  pLains  last  snminer. 
Tliese  bands,  although  they  are  for  the  most  part  classed  in 
several  divisions,  are  really  independent  of  each  other.  In 
fact,  the  individuals  composing  each  hand  are  nearly  inde- 
pendent of  each  other.  'J'iiero  is  really  no  government,  no 
delegated  power  or  constitutional  trust  among  them.  If  they 
have  any  government,  it  may  be  calleci  democratic.  A  chief, 
except  so  far  as  he  secures  influence  in  the  tribe  by  personal 
Qualities  independent  of  his  office,  can  do  nothing.  As  matter 
of  form,  rather  than  of  fact,  the  bands  constituting  each  divis- 
ion recognise  the  chief  of  some  one  of  the  bands  as  their 
head-chief  in  council.  With  slight  difference  of  dialect,  the 
Sioux  all  speak  the  same  language.  Their  habits,  customs, 
superstitions,  are  substantially  the  same.  Some  difference  in 
the  fashion  of  combing  the  hair,  and  in  the  style  of  dress,  is 
obsei-ved  in  different  bands.  Our  information  of  the  western 
bands  is  comparatively  little.  For  convenience,  I  will  com- 
mence with  a  notice  of  the  Sioux  who  inhabit  the  southeastern 
extremity  of  their  territory,  and  follow  with  a  notice,  in  order, 
of  the  bands  that  are  found  in  our  progress  up  the  west  bank 
of  the  Mississippi,  the  valley  of  the  Minnesota,  and  thence 
westward,  until  we  reach  the  wild  Tetons,  who  occupy  the 
western  or  annexation  end,  and  extending  indefinitely  toward 
the  Pacific  ocean. 

The  first  division  is  that  of  the  Medawakantwan,  or  Spirit 
Lake  Sioux,  in  the  southeast.  This  division  comprises  seven 
bands  or  villages,  which  contain  an  aggregate  of  about  twenty- 
two  hundred  souls.  They  sold  their  lands  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, in  1837,  by  treaty  at  Washington.  They  receive  ten 
thousand  dollars  annually,  and  five  thousand  dollars  more  to 
be  paid  them  by  the  direction  of  the  president  of  the  United 
States  (who  has  never  yet  directed).  Also  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years  after  the  date  of  the  treaty,  they  receive  twenty 
thousand  dollars  annually  in  goods,  and  five  thousand  dollars 
more  in  provisions. 

The  bands  constituting  this  division  are  : 

1.  YVabasliaw  band  — chief,  Wabasliaw,  who  is  also  nomi- 
nally head-chief  of  the  division.     Population  three  hundred. 


THE   INDIAN    TRIBES. 


201 


Slimmer, 
assed  in 
lier.  In 
ly  inde- 
cent, no 
If  they 
A  chief, 
personal 
s  matter 
;h  divis- 
as  their 
leet,  the 
customs, 
'cnce  in 
dress,  is 
western 
ill  com- 
be astern 
in  order, 
ist  hank 

thence 
iipy  the 

toward 

r  Spirit 

5S  seven 

twenty- 

i  Missis- 

jive  ten 

more  to 

United 

sriod  of 

twenty 

dollars 


0  nomi- 
idred. 


2.  Red-Wing  band — chief,  Waukoota.  Population,  three 
hundred, 

3.  Kaposia  band  (just  below  St.  Paul) — chief,  Little-Crow. 
Population,  four  hundred. 

4.  Black-Dog  band — chief,  Gray-Iron.  Population,  two 
hundred  and  fifty  (five  miles  up  the  Minnesota  river). 

5.  Lake  Calhoun  band — chief,  Cloud-Man.  Population,  two 
hundred  and  fifty. 

6.  Good-Road's  band  —  chief,  Good-Road.  Population, 
three  hundred. 

7.  Six's  band — chief,  Sliakopee.  Population,  four  hundred 
and  fifty. 

The  next  division  is  that  of  the  Wahpetonwans ;  composed  of 
three  Imnds,  living  on  the  waters  of  the  Minnesota  river,  to  wit : — 

1.  The  Wahpetonwan  band,  numbering  one  hundred  and 
fifty,  at  Little  Rapids — chief,  Plumstone,  who  is  nominally 
head-chief  also  of  this  division. 

2.  The  Lac-qui-Parle  band,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
miles  above  Traverse  des  Sioux,  on  the  Minnesota  river,  num- 
bering four  hundred  —  chief  Big-Gun. 

3.  Big-Stone  Lake  band,  fifty  miles  northwest  of  Lac-qui- 
Parle,  numbering  one  hundred  and  fifty.  These  have  no 
chief,  being  a  branch  of  the  Lac-qui-Parle  band.  Their  head 
man  is  called  The  End.     They  are  very  shiftless. 

The  next  division  is  that  of  the  Sissetons,  composed  of  three 
bands.     No  head-chief  is  acknowledged  by  this  division. 

1.  Tlie  Traverse  des  Sioux  band,  numbering  three  hundred 
and  fifty  —  chief,  Red-Iron.  (He  is  an  industrious  man,  who  is 
every  day  at  work.) 

2.  Little-Rock  band,  numbering  two  hundred  and  fifty — 
chief.  Sleepy  Eyes. 

3.  Lac  Traverse  band,  numbering  three  hundred  and  fifty. 
(This  lake  is  the  source  of  Red  river  of  the  North.)  Chief, 
The  Orphan. 

There  are  other  fractional  bands  of  the  Sissetons,  also; 
among  which  are  the  Five  Lodges,  numbering  about  five  hun- 
dred. They  are  about  forty  miles  west  of  Lac-qui-Parle ; 
chief,  Red-Thunder.     The  germ  of  the  Five  Lodges  was  a 


:s'i!'^ 


202 


MINNESOTA   AND    ITS   RESOUKCES. 


ffmillj  of  muidcrf'rs,  it  is  said,  wlio  wandered  away  from  the 
8issetoii8  many  years  ago,  with  tlie  band  of  Cain,  and  consti- 
tntcd  a  h'ttle  Nauvoo  of  their  own,  where  rogues  from  otlier 
bands  found  refuge.  They  now  number  one  hundred  lodges; 
and  have  more  vigor  and  more  energy,  if  less  docility  and 
morality,  than  most  other  bands. 

The  next  division  is  that  of  the  Wahpekootays,  number- 
ing about  tliree  hundred;  chief,  Red-Legs.  These  people 
iniiabit  the  fine  region  between  the  head-Avaters  of  the  Blue 
Earth  and  Des  Moines  rivers.     They  constitute  but  one  band. 

The  next  division  is  that  of  the  Yanktons  of  the  Minne- 
sota valley. 

1.  The  Cut-Head  band,  numbering  two  hundred  and  fifty — 
chief,  Waunahtaw,  also  head-chief  of  this  division. 

2.  People-of-the-poles  band  —  chief,  uncertain.  Number,  one 
hundred. 

3.  The  band-who-do-not-eat-buffalo-cows.  Number,  one  hun- 
dred. ^ 

The  next  division  is  the  Tetons ;  chief  and  population  un- 
known.    Their  bands  are — 

:.  The  Ogolawla. 

2.  The  Sioune;  and  probably  some  others. 

The  next  division  is  that  of  the  Yanktons  of  the  Missouri, 
of  whose  chiefs  and  numbers  I  have  no  reliable  information. 
These  are  the  Sioux,  who  are  called  by  Lewis  and  Clark, 
"The  Big  Devils." 

The  Rev.  S.  R.  Riggs,  a  missionary  long  resident  among  the 
Dakotas,  advocates  strongly  the  "  community  system"  among 
these  Lidians,  and  bases  his  ideas  upon  many  Important  facts; 
and  it  is  conceded  the  reverend  gentleman  is  in  the  main  cor- 
rect. Indians  have  no  regard  for  the  laws  of  meum  and  iuum, 
and  the  only  way  to  teach  them  this  requisite  is  by  a  "  com- 
munity system,"  making  the  head  of  each  family  independent 
of  the  chiefs.  The  reverend  gentleman,  in  an  article  published 
in  the  Pioneer,  illustrates  as  follows : — 

"Among  people  pursuing  the  hunter's  life  it  is  not  strange 
that  the  principle  of  comm.on  property,  to  a  certain  extent, 
should  be  developed.     In  hunting  the  deer  and  buffalo  it  is 


'  V.-,  _. . 


THE    INDIAN   TRIBES. 


203 


genorally  fouiul  most  advantageous  on  the  whole  to  go  in  com- 
panies. This  is  especially  true  of  the  latter.  The  tatanka  of 
the  prairies  go  in  large  herds  and  are  soon  driven  off,  if  chased 
constantly  and  without  system.  Hence  the  necessity,  in  the 
Imffalo  hunt,  of  the  •  soldiers'  lodge,'  which  is  an  organization 
for  regulating  the  time  and  manner  of  surrounding  them.  Sev- 
eral years  ago,  when  hufTalo  were  plenty  in  this  region,  the 
writer  spent  many  sabbaths  at  the  Walqu'tonwan  encampment 
on  the  Pommc  de  terre,  and  several  times  preached  in  the  sol- 
diers' lodge.  A  few  extracts  from  memoranda  made  at  that 
time,  will  convey  some  idea  of  the  department  of  the  interior 
in  a  Dakota  camp. 

"  In  their  language,  the  soldiers'  lodge  is  called  tiyotipi. 
This  tiyotipi  is  their  legislative  and  judicial  hall.  No  one 
goes  to  kill  buffalo  except  when  a  chase  is  determined  on  by 
the  soldiers  in  this  lodge.  If  any  one  should  dare  to  do  so 
and  thus  drive  away  the  buffalo,  the  soldiers  would  break  his 
gun,  cut  up  his  blanket,  &c. — that  is,  according  to  their  lan- 
guage, *  soldiers  kill'  him. 

"  The  tent  is  one  of  the  largest  and  best  in  the  encampment. 
Dry  grass  is  spread  around  in  the  inside.  The  fire  is  the  mid- 
dle. Beyond  the  fire  are  two  bunches  of  grass  wrapped  around 
and  fastened  to  the  ground  by  means  of  pins.  On  these  two 
bunches  of  grass  lie  two  pipe-stems,  one  blue,  the  common 
prairie  color,  and  the  other  red,  which  is  used  only  on  special 
occasions.  By  the  side  of  them  is  a  pipe  with  an  ordinary 
stem,  which  is  commonly  used.  A  little  tobacco-board,  and 
two  or  three  sticks  to  clean  the  pipe  with,  form  the  comple- 
ment of  the  smoking  apparatus.  Still  beyond  the  pipe-stems 
lie  two  bundles  of  sticks,  one  of  which  is  black,  the  other  red. 
There  are  the  soldiers,  the  evidences  of  their  membership  and 
the  emblems  of  their  authority.  When  the  tiyotipi  was  organ- 
ized red  sticks  were  given  to  all  such  as  had  participated  in 
killing  enemies,  and  black  ones  to  the  younger  men  and  boys. 
At  i\^  first  meeting  each  one  brought  his  stick ;  and  these  were 
collected  and  bound  up  in  the  two  bundles.  When  the  tiyotipi 
IS  disBoiveu,  ilieiju  Buciis,  muy  »»}  >  vn-t-t.  uo  iieu.  iv  cs;  vici„-  -.^^i-.. 
"  Four  of  the  real  soldiers,  or  th(      represented  by  the  red 


20  ^ 


MTNXKSOTA     and    T'l-a    IfFSOrRCES. 


fsticks,  arc  chosen  as  principal  men  in  tlic  lodge,  whose  place 
is  immediately  opposite  the  door.  The  side,  to  the  right  of 
tlie  judges,  is  npjiropriated  to  chief  soldiers,  while  the  left  is 
occupied  by  young  men.  A  cyunpalta,  or  crier,  and  cook,  are 
«j)pointed,  whose  duty  it  is  to  be  ever  present  in  the  lodge. 
All  orders  issue  from  the  tiyotijn.  The  proclamations  were 
made  at  this  encampment  by  a  man  nearly  blind,  who  has 
since  been  killed  by  the  Chippewas.  In  the  morning  he  stood 
out  and  publicly  announced  the  name  of  a  young  man  who 
was  sent  out  to  ascertain  where  the  buffalo  were.  On  his  re- 
turn he  spoke  to  no  man  by  the  way,  but  proceeded  to  the  sol- 
diers' lodge,  and  after  smoking  with  the  red  pipe  stem,  whis- 
pered his  message  in  the  ear  of  the  cyanpaha^  who  made  proc- 
lamation of  the  same. 

"  When  meat  is  plenty  in  the  camp,  there  is  no  lack  of  it  at 
the  soldiers'  lodge,  although  it  is  entirely  dependent  for  its 
supplies  on  the  free-will  offerings  of  the  women.  But,  then, 
every  woman  who  brings  a  piece  of  meat  has  her  name  and 
the  fact  proclaimed  throughout  the  camp.  "When  tli,  ^  are  out 
of  wood  at  the  tiyotipi,  the  crier  stands  out  and  makes  known 
the  fact,  and  every  boy  takes  up  an  armful  from  his  mother's 
v^ood-pile  and  hies  away  with  it  to  the  soldiers'  lodge. 

"  When  animals  are  hunted  in  this  way,  all  engaged  have  of 
right  some  claim  on  what  is  killed.  The  laws  regulating  the 
distribution  in  these  cases  are  set  forth  in  the  following  extracts 
from  a  letter  written  some  time  since  by  WaumdioJciya : — 

"  In  the  buffalo-hunt,  whoever  kills  one  takes  home  the  skin, 
half  the  breast,  a  hind-quarter,  the  ribs  of  one  side,  the  tongue, 
the  paunch  and  the  fat  thereof.  These  are  his  portion.  He 
who  comes  up  second  takes  half  the  breast,  the  ribs  of  one 
side,  one  hind-quarter,  and  the  large  entrails.  These  are  his 
portion.  The  third  who  comes  takes  the  head,  the  back-bone, 
the  rump,  both  arms,  and  the  small  entrails.  These  are  his 
portion. 

"  When  one  kills  a  deer,  he  takes  home  the  skin,  the«i-ump, 
and  both  the  hind-quarters.  These  are  his  portion.  He  wlio 
conies  up  next  takes  one  side,  one  arm,  the  neck,  head,  and 
paunch.     These  are  his  portion.     The  third  takes  one  arm, 


TlIK    INDIAN   TUTUKS. 


905 


ose  place 
right  of 
lie  left  is 
cook,  are 
16  lodge. 
0118  were 
who  has 
he  stood 
man  who 
n  his  re- 
3  the  sol- 
3Tn,  whis- 
ade  proc- 

k  of  it  at 
it  for  its 
hit,  then, 
ame  and 
Y  are  out 
5s  known 
mother's 

t 

'• 

I  have  of 
ating  the 
;  extracts 
a : — 
the  skin, 
B  tongue, 
ion.  He 
3  of  one 
le  are  his 
ick-bone, 
Q  are  his 

ie«i'ump. 

He  wlio 

ead,  and 

)ne  arm, 


one  side,  the  back-bone,  the  lights,  and  entrails.     These  are 
liis  portion. 

"  When  one  wlioots  a  bear,  he  takes  the  skin,  tlie  heart,  and 
the  entrails.  These  are  his  portion.  'J'he  man  who  conies  up 
next  after  him  takt^s  the  rump  and  both  the  hind-legs.  These 
are  his  portion.  The  next  one  that  comes  takes  one  arm,  one 
side,  and  the  fat  of  one  kidney.  These  are  his  portion.  Who- 
ever conies  next  takes  one  arm,  and  one  kidney  with  the  fat 
thereof.  If  there  are  many  people,  the  remainder  is  divided 
into  many  portions." 

These  are  the  laws  of  division  in  the  chase  among  the  Dako 
tas.     So  well  understood  are  they,  that  we  seldom  hear  of  diffi 
culties  occurring  among  the  claimants.     But  the  common-prop- 
erty system  does  not  stop  here.     When  a  man  has  bronglit 
home  his  portion  of  meat,  it  immediately  passes  into  the  hands 
of  his  wife,  or  other  principal  female  of  the  family.     Sometimes 
it  is  all  consecrated  to  making  a  feast.     But  if  this  is  not  the 
case,  and  all  tlie  families  in  the  encampment  are  not  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  be  supplied,  the  neighbor-women  gather  in,  "  be- 
seeching and  besieging"  for  a  portion.     And  so  it  often  hap- 
pens that  the  skilful  and  industrious  hunter  and  his  family  eat 
less  of  what  he  brings  home  than  his  more  indolent  neighbors. 
The  skin,  however,  is  his,  to  use  or  sell.     But,  on  the  whole,  it 
must  be  acknowledged  that  the  community  system,  so  far  as 
Ave  have  regarded  it,  solely  in  connection  with  hunting,  although 
less  productive  of  injurious  results  here  than  elsewhere,  does 
still  encourage  idleness  rather  than  industry.     In  the  hunter's 
life  it  may  be  pleaded  as  a  necessity,  but  this  plea  can  not  be 
made  for  it  in  other  circumstances. 

A  Dakota  boy  is  taught  to  shoot  birds  and  squirrels,  and 
whatever  living  animal  crosses  his  pathway.  They  are  com- 
mon stock;  they  have  no  owners,  and  each  one  kills  what  he 
can.  In  this  v/ay  he  grows  up  with  very  loose  ideas  of  the 
rights  of  property.  If  his  uncle  or  his  brother  has  two  horses, 
and  does  not  yield  to  his  wishes  in  giving  him  one,  it  is  no 
more  difficult  to  shoot  or  stab  the  horse  than  to  kill  any  other 
animal.  The  feeling  that  a  man  has  a  right  to  whatever  ho 
Bees,  and  can  lay  his  hands  on,  grows,  in  too  many  instances, 


%mL 


,'  '1 


200 


MINNESOTA    AND    ITS    RKSOlTRCES. 


in 


u; 


'\t 


I;  ! 


I'''1 


_k 

i 

^'M 

^ 

« 

;»;. 

witli  an  Tiul'mn's  giowtli.  And  tlnH  feeling  is  one  of  the  out- 
lines of  the  connnon-proiterty  system. 

All  Indians  are  oxcessively  fond  of  their  own  amusementa, 
and  I  append  a  description  of  a  "  round  dance,"  at  Traverse 
des  Sioux,  during  the  treaty  of  1851  : — 

"  The  counnission,  and  in  fact  our  whole  camp,  was  present, 
and  perhaps  one  thousand  Indians  of  the  various  bands.  The 
theatre  of  this  religious  dance  was  a  circular  enclosure  made 
up  of  the  limbs  of  the  aspen  stuck  in  the  ground,  interwoven 
with  four  arched  gateways,  one  toward  each  point  of  the  com- 
pass, making  an  area  about  the  size  of  a  large  circus. 

"A  pole  was  planted  in  the  middle  of  the  area,  with  an  im- 
age cut  out  of  bark,  designed  to  represent  the  '  thunder-bird,* 
suspended  by  a  string  from  its  top.  At  each  of  the  four  arched 
gateways  stood  another  pole  and  image  of  the  same  descrip- 
tion, but  smaller  than  the  one  in  the  centre.  Near  the  foot  of 
the  central  pole  was  a  little  arbor  of  aspen-bushes,  in  which 
sat  an  ugly-looking  Indian,  with  his  face  blackened,  and  a  wig 
of  green  grass  on  his  head,  who  acted  as  sorcerer,  and  uttered 
incantations  and  prophecies  with  fervent  unction,  and  beat  the 
drum,  and  played  on  the  Indian  flute,  and  sang,  by  turns,  to 
regulate  the  various  evolutions  of  the  dance. 

"  Before  this  arbor,  at  the  foot  of  the  central  pole,  were  va- 
rious mystical  emblems :  the  image  of  a  running  buffalo,  cut 
out  of  bark,  with  his  legs  stuck  in  the  ground  ;  also  a  pipe  and 
a  red  stone  shaped  something  like  a  head,  with  some  colored 
shavings,  moss,  or  other  material,  on  the  cranium,  to  represent 
liair.  This  red  stone  is  said  to  represent  the  spirit  of  evil,  to  be 
appeased.  At  a  signal  given  by  the  sorcerer,  the  young  tii  mi 
sprang  in  through  the  gateways,  and  commenced  a  circular 
dance,  in  procession,  around  the  sorcerer,  who  continued  to 
sing  and  to  beat  his  drum  ;  and  occasionally  changed  the  order 
of  dancing,  or  afforded  the  dancers  a  respite  by  blowing  upon 
his  flute.  The  'Anx-iug  h  the  same  sort  of  double-hop,  or 
shaker-step,  wh.^u  v**  .ve  in  their  medicine  and  scalp  dances. 
After  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  of  violent  exercise,  the  dancers 
ran  out  of  the  ring,  returning  after  a  short  respite. 

"  In  the  third  set,  a  few  horsemen,  in  very  gay,  fantastic 


ura  Tueu 


THK    INDIAN   TRIBES. 


20T 


costiune,  nccovnpnnipd  tlio  proceHHion  of  dnnccrs  witMn  the  nrea, 
by  riding  around  outside  of  the  encdoHure.  In  tiie  fo»u-th  and 
last  set,  a  uuiltitudc  of  boys  and  glvlw  joined  tlie  band  of  dan- 
cers in  the  area,  and  many  more  horsemen  joined  the  caval- 
cade that  rode  swift  and  more  swiftly  aroiuul  the  area,  some 
dressed  in  blue-embroidered  blankets,  others  in  white;  and 
every  horseman,  as  he  skilfully  and  swiftly  rode,  a  subject  for 
the  painter,  the  music  quickening  and  the  excited  performers 
HyiDi,  liko  a  whirlpool  of  fantastic  men  and  horses — an  exhi- 
bition so  rare  and  strange,  that  in  New  York  a  "  Welch"  would 
ninko  a  fortune  out  of  it  in  a  month,  as  an  equestrian  show. 
Suddenly,  at  the  end  of  the  fonrth  act,  several  rifles  were  dis- 
charged at  the  poles  upon  which  the  thunder-birds  were  sus- 
pended, cutting  them  all  instantly  down ;  wheu  the  curtain 
fell,  and  all  dispersed.  So  ended  the  round  dance  —  the  most 
imposing  exhibition,  probably,  that  is  ever  seen  among  the 
Sioux." 

It  would  be 'useless  to  try  to  convey  to  the  reader  unaccus- 
tomed to  savage  life,  an  intelligible  idea  of  the  infernal  noises 
and  uncouth  gestures  of  these  red  devils,  when  engaged  in 
any  of  their  dances.  For  a  scalp-dance,  at  nightfall,  they  light 
tlicir  camp-fire,  and  with  naked  bodies  painted,  some  jet  black, 
others  bright  red,  or  buff,  or  striped  in  the  most  fantastic  man- 
ner, form  a  circle  round  the  fire,  holding  the  scalp  aloft,  sus- 
pended in  a  hoop ;  and  when  they  commence  to  leap  and 
bound,  set  up  the  most  unearthly  yelping,  whooping,  and 
howling,  twisting  their  bodies  into  every  conceivable  contor- 
tion !  The  squaws,  too,  becoming  excited  even  to  frenzy,  howl 
vv  orse  than  a  pack  of  famished  wolves,  creating  a  pandemonium, 
as  seen  from  a  distance  through  the  gloomy  forest  by  the  lurid 
glare  of  the  camp-light,  more  shocking  and  spectre-like  than 
the  worst  scene  described  by  Dante  in  his  "  Inferno." 

Tlic  Medawakanhcan  bands  of  Sioux  or  Dakotas  receive 
ainiuitios  under  the  treaty  of  September,  1837,  amounting  to 
ten  thousand  dollars  in  money  ;  and  besides  this  annuity  money 
tliey  receive  every  year  ten  thousand  dollars  in  goods,  five 
thousand  five  hundred  expended  in  the  nurehase  of  provisions 
for  them ;   and  eight  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  "  in  the 


JUMWii'ir^aiWi 


20S 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS    RESOURCES. 


\iU 


I  :i1 


.-,!     H 


i 


purchase  of  medicines,  agricultural  implements,  and  stock,  and 
for  tlie  support  of  a  physician,  farmers,  and  blacksmitlis,  and 
for  otlier  beneficial  objects  ;"  and  all  these  sums  to  be  expended 
annually  for  twenty  years  from  the  date  of  the  treaty.  A  stip- 
ulation in  the  first  article  of  this  treaty  provides  that  a  "por- 
tion of  the  interest"  on  the  wliole  sum  invested,  "not  exceed- 
ing one  third,"  being  five  thf>usand  dollars  annually,  is  "to  be 
ai)plied  in  such  manner  as  the  president  may  direct,"  has  been 
the  occasion  of  much  evil.  Thus  far,  no  use  has  been  made  of 
the  moncv,  and  it  has  accumulated  from  year  to  year  until  it 
amounts  to  more  th-'.n  fifty  tlumsand  dollars. 

The  seven  bands  of  the  Medawakantwan  Sioux — the  only 
branch  of  the  Dakota  family  with  whom  we  have  heretofore 
had  formal  treaty  stipulations — are  scattered  over  a  broad 
tract  of  country,  extending  from  the  village  of  Shakopee, 
twenty-five  miles  up  the  .Minnesota  river,  to  the  village  of  Wab- 
ashaw,  one  hundred  miles  below  its  mouth,  on  the  Mississippi. 
The  Dakota  or  Sioux  nation  (Dakota  is  the  'name  they  pre- 
fer, and  the  original  one,  Sioux  being  given  them  by  the  French 
traders  long  since)  is  the  most  mmierous  perhaps  of  any  Indians 
on  the  continent  —  numbering,  the  different  tribes  and  bands, 
between  twenty  and  thirty  thousand.  They  are  divided  into 
numerous  bands,  and  have  separate  interests  in  the  lands  they 
claim,  but  are  united  in  a  common  language,  intercourse,  mar- 
riage, &c.,  and  unite  for  common  defence.  At  what  time  they 
came  into  the  possession  of  the  country  can  not,  I  think,  be 
correctly  ascertained.  I  have  conversed  Avith  some  of  the  most 
Qged  among  thorn,  say  eighty  years  old,  who  were  born  in  the 
vicinity  of  St.  Paul,  and  have  heard  of  no  other  place  as  the 
residence  of  their  fathers.  They  have  been  and  still  are  a 
warlike  people,  and  their  wars  with  the  surrounding  tribes 
have  been  numerous  in  former  years,  but  now  confined  princi- 
pally to  the  Chippewas,  which  can  be  dated  back  from  time 
immemorial.  Taking  their  country  as  a  whole,  it  is  a  good 
country,  and  a  portion  of  it  not  exceeded  for  farming  purposes 
in  any  part  of  the  Mississippi  valley.  The  land  is  said  not  to 
be  so  good  as  you  approach  near  the  Missouri — prairies  are 
large,  with  scarcity  of  timber,  and  too  much  sand. 


THE   TNDTAlSr   TRTBEa 


209 


With  regarfl  to  Tniticrals,  I  can  not  say  mucl.  The  red 
pipestoiie  is  found  in  abundance  on  a  stream  that  dischargeiS 
itself  into  tlie  Missouri.  Many  have  seen  this  beautiful  rock, 
and  some  blocks  of  it  atlorn  our  national  monument. 

That  part  of  the  nation  that  inhabit  the  plains,  and  over 
toward  the  Missouri,  live  mostly  by  the  chase,  raising  only  a 
small  quantity  of  corn.  Buffalo  and  furs  are  becoming  scarce, 
and  they  will  be  compelled  before  long  to  adopt  some  other 
method  of  subsistence,  or  become  extinct.  That  part  of  the 
nation  who  live  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Mississippi  and  lower 
Minnesota  rivers  have  Indian  farmers  and  annuities,  which 
enable  them  to  subsist  without  depending  entirely  upon  the 
game. 

With  regard  to  civilization  and  Christianity,  the  Dakotas 
{ire  behind  many  other  tribes  of  our  northwestern  Indians,  al- 
though they  have  had  considerable  advantages  of  missionaries 
nnd  schools.  It  can  not  be  said,  I  think,  that  they  are  inferior 
to  other  nations,  or  even  the  white  race,  in  mental  capacity.  I 
have  s<^on  many  children,  and  adults  also,  tliat,  it  appears  to 
me,  would  be  susceptible  of  the  highest  culture,  and  that  Na- 
ture has  been  profuse  in  her  gifts.  There  appears  to  be^a 
■want  of  effort,  or  motive,  to  stimulate  them  to  action.  The 
time  must  come  when  they  will  be  incorporated  with  us  as  a 
people,  living  under  our  laws,  adopting  our  habits,  or  disappear 
before  the  overwhelming  wave  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race. 

The  Ghippewas,  or  as  some  write,  the  "  Ojibways"  are  gener- 
ally reported  to  be  the  most  chivalric  of  their  race,  and  are  a 
nation  of  whose  dialects,  mythology,  legends,  and  customs,  we 
have  the  fullest  accounts. 

The  sub-agency  of  this  tribe  was  removed  in  July,  1850, 
from  Lapointe,  in  Wisconsin,  to  Sandy  Lake,  in  Minnesota 
territory. 

The  Chippewa  or  Ojibway  nation  of  Indians,  constitute 
about  eight  thousand,  of  which  near  four  thousand  five  hun- 
dred reside  in  this  territory  ;  the  balance  in  Wisconsin  and 
Michie:an. 

They  occupy  both  shores  of  Lake  Superior;  and  the  Ojib- 
ways, who  live  beyond  the  Assiniboins  to  the  far  northwest, 


-'mmkM,- 


1     I  ^ 


210 


MINNESOTA   AND  ITS   RKSOUROEg. 


Mil 


and  tlic  Knistcncaux,  or  Kroes,  who  dwell  beyond  tliem  again, 
are  all  branches  of  the  same  great  people. 

A  recent  writer  correctly  describes  them  :  "  The  Chippewas 
are  small  in  person" — (This  remark  in  regard  to  their  size  does 
not  apply  exactly  to  the  voods  Chippewas,  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi)— "  and  of  a  quiet  and  meek  aspect ;  they  have  an  indomi- 
table spirit,  and  a  prowess  that  shrinks  from  no  encounter; 
they  are  the  Poles  of  the  Nortl ,  whose  wont  is  to  stand,  with- 
out regard  to  odds,  and  fall  every  man  on  his  track,  rather 
than  fly." 

Migrating  from  the  east  late  in  the  sixteenth  or  early  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  they  first  settled  at  the  falls  of  St.  Mary, 
from  Avhich  point  they  gradually  pressed  westward;  and 
eventually  compelled  the  Dakota  nation  to  abandon  its  ancient 
seat  around  the  head  waters  of  Mississippi,  whose  rice  lakes 
and  hunting-grounds  the  Chippewas  at  this  day  possess,  and 
beyond  to  the  Red  river  of  the  north. 

In  consideration  of  the  cession  by  the  two  treaties  of  1837 
and  1842,  the  United  States  stipulated  to  pay  them  for  twenty 
and  twenty-five  years,  twenty-two  thousand  dollars  in  money ; 
twenty -nine  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  in  goods;  five 
thousand  dollars  in  blacksmithing ;  one  thousand  two  hundred 
dollars  for  carpenters ;  six  thousand  dollars  for  farmers,  and 
an  agricultural  fund  ;  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  for 
provisions  and  tobacco  ;  two  thousand  dollars  for  schools  ;  and 
agreed  to  pay  forty-five  thousand  dollars  to  the  ChippeAva 
half-breeds,  and  one  hundred  and  forty-five  thousand  dollars 
in  liquidation  of  their  just  debts.  For  those  made  by  the 
treaty  of  1847,  they  were  paid  down  forty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars ;  and  the  Mississippi  portion  of  them  were  allowed  one 
thousand  dollars  annually,  for  forty-six  years,  to  be  paid  in 
money,  or  to  be  applied  toward  the  support  of  schools,  or  the 
employment  of  blacksmiths  and  laborers;  and  the  Pillager 
band  certain  stipulated  articles  of  goods,  of  the  value  of  about 
three  thousand  six  hundred  dollars  for  five  years. 

The  entire  Chippewa  tribe  are  divided  into  fifteen  families, 
upon  the  totemic  principle,  to  each  of  which  are  four  sub- 
divisions.    Each  family  has  a  crest  or  symbol  of  some  bird, 


liem  again, 

Chippewas 
ir  size  does 
the  Missis- 
an  indomi- 
encounter ; 
tand,  with- 
ack,  rather 

arly  in  the 
P  St.  Mary, 
rard ;  and 
its  ancient 
rice  lakes 
ossess,  and 

ies  of  1837 
for  twenty 
in  money ; 
oods ;  five 
v^o  hundred 
rmers,  and 
dollars  for 
hools ;  and 
Chippewa 
md  dollars 
ide  by  the 
)usand  dol- 
llovved  one 
be  paid  in 
ools,  or  the 
le  Pillager 
le  of  about 

3n  families, 
3  four  sub- 
some  bird, 


THE  INDIAN  TKIBES. 


211 


fisl 


lal,  called, 


th( 


1  en  elf 


th( 


totem ;  to 
llic  origin  of  each  of  wliich  some  legend  attaches.  The  system 
is  ancient,  and  dates  as  far  back  as  their  most  unnatural  and 
absurd  traditions  extend.  Though  divided  by  thousands  of 
niiles,  and  unconnected  for  generations,  members  of  the  same 
totem  can  not  intermarry  or  cohabit  with  ore  another.  The 
totem  descends  in  the  male  line. 

A  work  upon  the  Chippewas  was  prepared  by  the  late 
W.  W.  Warren,  himself  a  quarter-breed  of  this  nation,  and  is 
now  being  published.  Upon  the  Chippewas,  I  have  thus 
necessarily  been  brief,  and  refer  tlie  curious  to  Mr.  Warren's 
bool  for  further  information.  The  Chippewa  country  lies 
between  the  head  of  Lake  Superior  and  the  Red  river  of  the 
north — from  latitude  forty-six  to  forty-nine  degrees. 

The  Winnebago  Agency  is  located  about  forty  miles  back 
from  the  Mississippi  river,  on  Long  Prair'3  river,  about  one 
hundred  and  forty  miles  north  from  St.  Paul.  Long  Prairie 
is  about  sixteen  miles  long,  and  on  an  aver?  ge  one  and  a  half 
miles  wide,  stretching  from  the  northeast  to  ihe  southeast ;  and 
from  the  high  and  central  location  of  the  agency  buildings 
lying  arovmd  it,  presents  a  highly  picturesque  and  agreeable 
view.  This  tribe  numbers  about  two  thousand  five  hundred 
souls.  The  first  recorded  treaty  by  the  United  States  with 
tills  tribe  was  made  in  1816.  They  were  again  included  in 
a  treaty  made  at  Prairie  du  Chien  in  1825,  and  at  the  same 
place,  in  the  year  1829,  another  treaty  was  made  with  them, 
by  which  they  received  thirty  thousand  dollars  in  goods,  and 
eij:hteen  thousand  dollars  annuity  for  thirty  years,  and  three 
thousand  pounds  of  tobacco,  and  fifty  barrels  of  salt  annually 
for  the  same  period.  And  again  they  treated  in  1832,  with  an 
annuity  of  ten  thousand  dollar^  for  twenty-seven  years,  with  a 
stipulation  to  establish  a  boarding-school  for  them  at  Prairie 
du  Chien,  for  the  same  period,  at  an  annual  cost  of  three  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  three  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars  more 
annually,  for  farmers,  blacksmiths,  physicians,  &c.  They  also 
made  a  treaty  at  Washington  in  the  year  1837,  by  which  they 
sold  ail  their  lands  east  of  the  Mississippi.  Under  this  latter 
treaty  the  government  paid  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  in 


I'm 


Ii 

■J 

p 

1; 

1  -J 

! 

i, 

'IP 

213  MINNESOTA    ANT)   ITS   IlESOUUCES. 

liquidntimi  of  tlieir  doLtn;  one,  liundvfMl  thouRnnd  dollars  to 
tl)(>ir  vclatlmis  of  luiNod  Mood;  cxixMidod  aevrn  tliousnud   dol- 
IniH  lor  tlioiv  v«Mnoval  woHt ;  {jjavo  tlicm  fifty  tlioiisand  dollars 
in  liorsoH  and   goods,  and  i)aid  for  provisionH,  erecting  a  grist- 
mill, Itroaking  and  fencing  ground,  and  incidental  expenses, 
the  Sinn  of  forty-three  thousand  dollars.     It  Avas  also  agreed 
to  pay  to  tlunn  annually,  for  twenty-two  years,  ten  thousand 
dollars  in  provisions,  twenty  thousand  dollars  in  goods,  twenty 
thousand  dollars  in  money,  and  fivo  thousand  dollars  to  bo 
devoted  to  education,  agriculture,  &c.     They  made  a  treaty 
at  Washington  city  in  1846,  by  which  they  agreed  to  remove 
to  the  Upp-r  Mississippi,  and  which  they  did  in  the  year  1848. 
In  this  last  treaty  they  disposed  of  all  their  interest  or  claim 
in  any  lands  whatever,  on  condition  that  the  United  States 
should  give  to  them  "  a  tract  of  country  north  of  the  Minne- 
sota, and  west  of  the  :Mississippi  river,  of  not  less  than  eight 
Inuulred  thousand  acres,  and  pay  them  one  hundred  and  ninety 
thousand  dollars  for  the  following  purposes,  to  wit :— To  liqui- 
date their  debts,  for  their  removal  and  subsistence,  for  breaking 
up  and  fencing  lands  at  their  new  home ;  and  including  ten 
thousand  d(dlars  of  it  for  manual  labor  schools,  and  five  thou- 
sand  dollars  for  grist  and   saw  mills.      The  balance,  being 
eighty-five  thousand  dollars,  is  to  remain  in  trust  with  tlio 
United  States,  at  five  per  cent.,  for  thirty  years ;  and  the  in- 
terest thereon  is  to  be  paid  to  the  tribe  yearly. 

The  AVinnebago  schools  are  now  under  the  direction  of 
cp^holic  missionaries. 

It  is  a  lamentabldfact  that  the  educated  of  this  tribe  are  the 
most  worthless,  which  clearly  shows  that  they  should  first  be 
taught  to  labor  and  acquire  property ;  after  which,  they  will 
see  not  only  the  use  but  the  necessity  of  becoming  educated. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  they  may  yet  become  a  civilized  people. 
They  raised  last  year  on  Long  Prairie,  the  following  quantities 

of  produce : — 

QQYJ^                              300  acres  12,000  bushels. 

Potato'es."  !"..*■.  ".*..**..' 50  "  10,000       " 

meat 10  "  800 

Turnips 60  "  10.000 

Oats. 40  ;;  4,000       " 

Gurden  vegetnbles 10  " 


THE   INDIAN   TKIBES.  213 

On  tlio  MisHiHsippi : — 

Corn 100  ncrcs      '2,000  bushels. 

rofal.opB 10     "  1,000       " 

Tuniiim 80     "  8,000       " 

Tlio  crops  at  tliis  fifjjpiicy  avo  unusually  good,  and  tlie  In- 
dians can  not  want  i'or  food,  '^^riioy  liavo  assisted  in  ploupjliing, 
planting,  and  liarvo.si  .iig.  'JMioso  that  liavo  liorsos  i)ut  up  liay 
t'liongli  to  kcoj)  tlioni  tlirougli  the  winter.  I  find  that  they  arc 
not  only  disposed  but  anxious  to  work ;  and  many  of  them 
Avill  do  as  uiucli  work  in  a  day  as  a  laboring  man  among  the 
whites. 

This  year  notlnng  of  any  consequence  will  be  raised.  The 
Indians  have  all  left  Long  Trairie,  through  fear  of  the  Chip- 
powas  —  two  of  whom  they  lately  murdered  —  and  everything 
at  the  agency  is  going  to  destruction. 

In  August  of  the  present  year,  a  council  was  held  between 
tlie  Winnebagoes  and  Governor  Gorman,  by  which  the  Winnc- 
])agoes  exchanged  their  old  lands  at  Long  Prairie  for  a  tract 
on  Crow  river,  witli  the  reservation  of  the  right  of  way  for  the 
Pacilic  railroad,  and  to  which  tract  they  wish  to  remove  forth- 
with. Much  confliction  of  opinion  exists  among  the  people  of 
Mi.  nesota,  relaiive  to  the  exchange,  and  many  of  the  v/hite 
settlers  are  loud  in  expressing  their  dissatisfaction.  However, 
it  may  turn  out  best  for  all  parties,  though  it  is  doubtful 
whether  the  general  government  will  ratify  the  exchange. 
The  title  of  this  Crow  River  tract  was  extinguished  by  the 
Sioux  treaty  of  1851,  and  this  grant  to  the  Winnebagoes  com- 
pletely vests  these  lands  in  another  Indian  title,  to  the  exclu- 
isiun  of  the  original  owners,  the  I  akotas.  The  treaty  of  1851 
was  made  at  a  large  expense  to  the  United  States,  at  the 
urgent  solicitations  of  w^hite  settlers,  who  were  eager  for  the 
possession  of  good  farming  lands;  but  under  the  present 
Winnebago  exchange,  they  are  forbidden  the  Crow  River 
country,  said  to  l;e  among  the  best  for  farming  purposes.  This 
matter  is  much  mooted  in  St.  Paul,  and  without  expressing  an 
opinion,  I  present  the  facts  alone. 


I'i 

li 


mt<mmk 


mm 

I  ^ 

1 

I;! 


^^^^^H 

^^^^^^H 

^^^^^^H 
^^^^^H 
^^^^H 

^^^^^H 

■i 

H^^H^H 

tei 

L>M 


MlNNlCt^OTA    AND    ITS   KKBOUKOliIti. 


CIIAT'TER  XIII. 

TIIR    SIOUX    TREATY    OF    IHM COUNTIKH,    COlIIiTH,    llOADS,    KTC 

TuK  rollowiiig  is  tlio  treaty  of  l^-avcrso  dcs  Sioux,  botwoeu 
the  lluitea  States  and  the  Src-.scc-toan  and  lVah-j>ai/-toa7i  band 
of  Sioux  or  Dakota  Indians : — 

'•  Articles  of  a  treaty,  made  and  concluded  at  l^-avcrse  dca 
Si«>u:M  upon  the  Minnesota  river,  in  the  territory  of  l^Iinnesota, 
on  the  twenty-third  day  of  July,  ei}j?hteen  hundred  and  iifty- 
one,  between  the  United  States  of  America,  by  Luke  Lea,  com- 
missioner of  Indian  affairs,  and  Alexander  Ramsey,  governor 
and  c\r-o//irio  superintendent  of  Indian  afl'airs  in  said  territory, 
commissioNvn,  duly  appointed  for  that  purpose,  and  the  Seo- 
see-toan  and  Wah-pay-toan  bands  of  Dakota  or  Sioux  Indians. 

"  AuTici-K  L  It  is  stipulated  and  solemnly  agreed  that  the 
peace  and  friendship  now  so  happily  existing  between  the  Uni- 
ted  States  and  the  aforesaid  bauds  of  Indians  shall  bo  per- 
petual. 

"Art.  2.  The  said  See-scc-toan  and  Wah-pay-toan  bands 
of  Dakota  or  Sioux  Indians  agree  to  cede,  and  do  hereby  cede, 
sell,  and  relinquish,  to  the  United  States,  all  their  lands  in  the 
state  of  Iowa ;  and  also  all  their  lands  in  the  territory  of  Min- 
nesota, lying  oast  of  the  following  lines,  to  wit :  Beginning  at 
the  junction  of  the  Buffalo  river  with  the  lied  river  of  the 
North  ;  thence  along  the  western  bank  of  said  Red  river  of  the 
North  to  the  mouth  of  the  Sioux-AVood  river ;  thence  along  the 
western  bank  of  said  Sioux-Wood  river  to  Lake  Traverse ; 
thence  along  the  western  shore  of  said  lake  to  the  southern  ex- 


tremity there 


)f:  tl 


lenee 


in  a  direct  line  to  th 


pes 


ka  lake  with  the  Tchau-kas-au-data  or  S 


ction  of  Kam- 
ioux river;  thence 


TUB  SIOUX   TliKATY   OF    1851. 


215 


•ADS,    KTC. 


nloiig  tlio  woHtoru  bnnk  of  hh'kI  river  to  Uh  point  of  intcrHection 
with  the  iiortlu'in  lino  of  tlio  Htate  of  Iowa,  including  all  the 
i.sIfindH  in  Haid  rivers  and  lakes. 

"Art.  .'j.  In  part  consideration  of  the  foregoing  cession  the 
United  Htntes  do  hereby  set  apart  for  the  future  occupancy  and 
lionu!  of  tlie  Dakota  Indians,  parties  to  this  treaty,  to  he  held 
liy  theni  as  Indian  lands  are  held,  all  tliat  tract  of  country  on 
citiier  side  of  tlie  Minnesota  river,  from  the  western  boundary 
(lithe  lands  herein  ceded,  east  of  theTcliay-tam-bay  river  on  the 
north  and  to  the  Yellow  Medicine  river  on  tlio  south  side— to 
extend  on  each  side  a  distance  of  not  less  than  ton  miles  from 
the  general  course  of  said  river  :  tho  boundaries  of  said  tract 
to  bo  marked  out  by  as  straight  lines  as  practicable,  whenever 
(h'cmed  expedient  by  tho  president,  and  in  such  a  manner  as 
]ic  shall  direct. 

"AiiT.  4.  In  further  and  full  consideration  of  said  cession, 
the  United  States  agree  to  pay  to  said  Indians  the  sum  of  one 
million,  six  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand  dollars  (.Sl,G6r>,000) 
at  the  several  times,  in  tho  manner,  and  for  the  purposes,  fol- 
lowing, to  wit : — 

"1.  To  tho  chiefs  of  the  said  bands,  to  enable  them  to  settle 
their  affairs,  and  comply  with  their  present  just  engagements; 
.uul  in  consideration  of  their  removing  themselves  to  the  coun- 
try set  apart  for  them  as  above,  which  they  agree  to  do  witiiin 
two  years,  or  sooner  if  recjuested  by  the  president,  without  fur- 
ther cost  or  expense  to  tho  United  States ;  and  in  considera- 
tion of  their  subsisting  themselves  tho  first  year  after  their  re- 
moval, which  they  agree  to  do  without  further  cost  or  expense  on 
tlic  ])art  of  the  United  States,  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  seven- 
ty-live  thousand  dollars  (1275,000).  Provided,  That  said  sum 
shall  be  paid  to  tho  chiefs  in  such  manner  as  they  hereafter  in 
open  council  shall  request,  and  as  soon  after  the  removal  of  said 
Indians  to  the  home  set  apart  for  them  as  the  necessary  appro- 
priation therefor  shall  be  made  by  Congress. 

"  2.  To  be  laid  out  under  the  direction  of  the  president  for 
the  establishment  of  manual-labor  schools,  the  erection  of  mills, 
Llacksmith-shops,  opening  farms,  fencing  and  breaking  land,' 
and  for  such  other  beneficial  objects  as  may  be  deemed  most 


I  ffll 


■im»k^ 


(I' 

|r. 

i  '' 

i 

i 

11 

!l 

...,.s»%2Q:.~^'!s^iJ%^.z:^x:'.un 


■t  :i 


P    fi:" 


210  MINNKSOTA    AND    ITS    HKSOUHCKS. 

1    i.r,r,./iiiPRt  of  said  Indians, 
conducive  to  the  prospenty  and   happintss 

thirty  thonsan'd  dollars  ($30,000). 

..  The  balance  of  said  8um  of  one  nnllion,  six  hundrea  ana 
ine  u.uHi"-^  /<tti  nr.''.  000^   to  w  t,  one  nnlhon, 

Bixty-live  thousand   dollars  (^I'^^'^f  ,  ^' '"^^i     '  o  qoO),  to  ^^^ 
three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  ^^''^^^^^  f  ^''''''''  '   ^.J^^^ 
,,ain  in  trust  .ith  the  United  States   and  hve  P  ^;;;*-;^;^; 
est  thereon  to  he  paid  annu^^Hy  .>  sa.     — «     ^^H:' 

1  T^.:z^r  :r;^s^^^  ^^^^^  ^^-  ^^  ^-y-^  f 

dred  and  titt>-t\NO^ioo^;.  tho  said  payments  to  he 

'"'f;'  V;:: :  go,.e,.,a  .gHcuu„vM,  ^r-;-™*' ^^^o;;""^"^- 

ti„„  toa.  tbe  .u.  of  twelve  ^''-^-^^^^f  ;  ^  *  ttl  do.- 
«'  4.  For  educational  purposes,  the  sum  or  six 

'""  rZ'L  purchase  of  goods  and  in-ovWons,  the  sum  of  .e. 
thousand  dollars  («0,000)  ^^^_^^^  ^^„^^^ 

"6.  For  money  annuity,  the  sum  oi  loii-j 

i.1  -^  Tiifliant;   narties  to  tnis  iierix), 

::    :    re'dtl!::;:  man„er  astl.  president  or  congress  of 

:Ue  United  States  fron,  t..>e  to  t.me  sl.a  U„  -  ^^^^  ^_^^^  ^^, 

..  I„  testimony  wl.creof,  '''^^ ;;'';;;;  ^j  ,,,ieft  and  LeaJ- 

and  Alexander  Kamsey   and  *f  ""'^"'f^?,,,  „„,..toan  bands 

of  I'''ko'»/'-^^""'.f"ir.  duplicate,  at  Traverse  dcs 

=t::  ritot"""-!'--"'"'"'""  "^ "  "'■ 

one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  toy-one.  ^^_^^^  ^ 

"Sig"-"l^y  ..ALEX.BAMSEV,  [sBAL.r 


TUB  SIOUX   TEKATY   OF    1851.  217 

Also  by  the  principal  chiefs  and  headmen  of  the  See-see- 
toan  and  Wah-pay-toan  bands. 

•'  Signed  in  tlie  presence  of  Thomas  Foster,  secretary ;  Na- 
thaniel M'Lean,  Indian  agent." 

The  treaty  witli  the  lower  bands  of  Sioux  was  signed  at 
Mendota.  Little  Crow,  who  writes  his  own  name,  led  off. 
These  Indians  receive  for  their  lands  an  amount  somewhat 
less  than  was  paid  for  the  lands  of  the  upper  bands.  They 
will  receive,  after  removal,  two  hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
dollars  to  settle  their  obligations,  remove  and  subsist  them ; 
and  after  that,  cash  annuities  of  thirty  thousand  dollars  per 
annum,  or  three  fourths  as  much  as  was  stipulated  in  the  treaty 
with  the  upper  bands ;  and  the  same  ratio,  three  fourths,  as 
much  of  annuities  that  are  not  cash  annuities,  for  fifty  years. 

There  will  have  been  paid  out  in  all,  at  the  expiration  of 
the  fifty  years,  a  little  less  than  three  millions  of  dollars  for 
the  entire  purchase.  The  Indians  were  paid  in  cash  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  being  part  of  the  funds  unpaid  to  them,  and 
remaining  due,  as  arrearages,  by  the  terms  of  their  treaty  of 

1837. 

All  the  annuities  guarantied  in  both  treaties  that  have  been 
made  will  be  added  together  and  paid  out  per  capita  to  all  of 
them  together.     These  are  the  figures  (nearly) : — 

The  lower  bands  receive  in  all $1,044,010 

Of  which  there  is  to  be  paid  down  at  their  remo- 
val (within  one  year  aftei  the  ratification) 220,000 

The  remaining  $824,010  will  be  put  at  5  per  cent 
int<^v.'st  for  fifty  years — the  principal  then  to  re- 
ver,  to  the  United  States ;  this  interest  will  yield 
to  them  annuities  as  follows,  for  fifty  years: 

Cash 80,000 

Civilization  fund 12,000 

Goods  and  clothing 10,000 

Schools 6,000 

Whole  payment  to  lower  bands $1,044,010 

««  "  upper  bands ." 1,665.000 

Total  purchase-money $2,709,010 

To  the  people  of  Minnesota  the  most  interesting  political 
event  that  has  occurred  since  the  organization  of  the  territory 

10 


r 

10 


••^afcfe*;^,:' 


HK 


W 


r 


l|^^  : 

"• 

1  'JHl'   ' 

B^^^H  i:  i 

ya|!| 

1 

f!  5     'I 

-1. 

1:1      'i 

■•'  iiliii 

[Mill 


i    i 


li 


Pi 

.,! 

218 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS    RESOURCES. 


by  th 


Si 


reaties  of  Traverse  des  oioux  and 
Meiulota,  of  tlie  Bioux  title  to  immense  tracts  of  land  upon  the 
western  side  of  the  Mississippi.  These  treaties  bridge  over 
the  wide  chasm  which  coiikl  alone  obstruct  the  advance  of 
Minnesota  to  the  lofty  destiny  evidently  reserved  for  her. 

By  the  two  former  treaties,  the  Dakota  Indians  relinquish 
to  the  government  their  right  of  usnfruct  to  all  Mie  country  pre- 
viously  claimed  by  them  east  of  the  Sioux-Wood  and  Big- 
Sioux  rivers,  extending  over  four  degrees  of  latitude  and  five 
of  longitude,  and  covering  a  superficial  extent  of  forty-five 
thousand  square  miles.  This  vast  district  Nature  has  marked 
out  for  exalted  destinies. 

Prior  to  the  ratification  of  the  Sioux  treaties  of  1851  there 
were  but  ten  counties  in  the  territory,  viz. :  Ramsey,  Wash- 
ington, Benton,  Chisago,  WabashaAv,  Itasca,  Hennepin,  Dako- 
ta, Pembina,  and  Cass.  Of  this  number,  but  five,  viz.,  Ilam- 
sey,  Washington,  Benton,  Chisago,  and  Pembina,  were  organ- 
ized for  judicial  purposes.  And  in  Pembina  no  court  has  yet 
been  held.  The  judge  assigned  that  district  by  the  legisla- 
ture of  1852  refused  attendance.  Of  the  above  counties,  five 
are  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  in  what  was 
then  Sioux  country,  and  were  attached  to  Ramsey,  Washing- 
ton, and  Benton  counties,  for  judicial  purposes. 

The  most  important  local  measure  of  the  session  of  1853  is 
the  organization  of  counties  west  of  the  Mississippi.  There 
are  now  eleven  counties  organized  in  the  territory  recently 
purchased  from  the  Sioux  Indians.  Their  names  are — Piercfe, 
Scott,  Fillmore,  Nicollet,  Goodhue,  Wabashaw,  Le  Sueur,  Blue- 
Earth,  Sibley,  Dakota,  and  Hennepin.  Pembina  and  Cass 
counties  are  also  on  the  west  side.  ^ 

Since  the  consummation  of  the  magnificent  Sioux  treaties,  a 
new  era  has  not  only  dawned,  but  come  forth  in  full,  refulgent 
light  upon  our  territory.  Eleven  counties  have  been  called 
into  existence  west  of  the  Mississippi,  where  but  a  very  few 
years  ago  there  was  not  a  regularly-established  settlement,  and 
where  the  savage  was  sole  "  monarch  of  all  he  surveyed." 

When  I  consider  that  all  those  counties,  now  but  sparsely 
settled,  will,  in  a  very  few  years,  be  filled  with  a  population 


COUNTIES,   ETC. 


219 


from  the  states  east  and  south  of  us,  ancl  that  without  the  or- 
ganization of  these  counties  no  means  would  have  heen  afforded 
for  the  establishment  of  common  schools,  the  location  and  im- 
provement of  the  highways,  the  establishment  of  ferries,  or  the 
enjoyment  of  judicial  privileges,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  the 
act  organizing  counties  was  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
session. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  an  American,  with  a  small 
family  of  children,  will  forego  many  pecuniary  advantages, 
rather  than  locate  where  he  can  not  have  access  to  a  schocx; 
and  I  firmly  believe  that  the  character  as  well  as  the  numeri- 
cal strength  of  the  population  west  of  the  Mississippi  within 
the  next  year,  will  be  very  much  affected  by  the  passage  of 
the  law. 

Immigrants  may  now  locate  in  any  portion  of  the  territory 
with  a  knowledge  that  any  settlement  containing^i-e  families 
may  be  set  off  as  a  separate  school  district,  and  be  entitled  to 
rcfceive  from  the  county  treasury  a  pro  rata  of  all  the  school- 
tax  collected  in  the  county.  County  commissioners  and  other 
couvity  officers  are  to  be  appointed  by  the  executive  immedi- 
ately, that  all  the  machinery  of  county  governments  may  be 
put  in  operation  during  the  summer,  preparatory  to  the  elec- 
tion oi"  county  officers  next  fall. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  taxable  property 
in  the  old  counties  for  1851-'52  : — 


Counties. 


Ramsey 

Bf'iiton 

Washington 

Chisago 

Hennepin 

Totals 


Taxable  Prop. 
1851. 


$782,113 

64,775 

335,172 

new  CO. 

new  CO. 


$1,182,060 


Taxable  Prop. 
1852. 


$1,060,820 

103,170 

843,760 

46,890 

43,525 


$1,598,165 


Terr'l.  Tax, 
1851. 


^782  11 

64  78 

335  17 


$1,182  06 


Terr'l  Tax, 
1852. 


$1,060  82 

103  17 

343  76 

46  89 

48  53 


$1,598  17 


It  is  estimated  that  the  amount  of  warrants  issued  in  1852 
will   not   exceed    in   sum   $885,   leaving   in   the    treasury    a 

assets. 


220 


M 


f#i 


;i 


n  (- 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITfl   RE80UROE8. 


Tin:  COURTS. 


On  tlin  lOtli  of  ^ravc'li,  1849,  Proflident  Taylor  appointed 
tlic  r<)llowinj;-njune(l  persons  jnilgos  of  tlio  supreme  court  of 
the  United  Htutes  for  tliis  territory,  to  wit:— 

Aaron  Goodrich,  of  Tennessee,  cliief-justicc  ; 

David  ('ooper,  of  Pennsylvanin,      »  .        .      . 

,,     ,,       ,,  \r     1  i- 1-     i     1        >  Associate  lusticeB. 

lirndh'y  iJ.  JMeeker,  or  Kentucky,  )  •' 

On  Sunday,  27th  May,  1819,  Governor  Alexander  Ilanisey 
reached  St.  Paul,  and  on  the  1st  day  of  June,  he  proclaimed 
the  organization  of  this  territory,  recognised  its  officers,  and 
re([uired  obedience  to  its  laws. 

On  the  nth  June,  1849,  the  governor  issued  his  second 
proclamation,  dividing  the  territory  into  three  judical  districts, 
as  lollows : — 

The  county  of  St.  Croix  constituted  the  fust  district,  the 
seat  of  justice  at  Stillwater ;  the  first  court  to  be  held  on  the 
second  Monday  in  August,  1849.  The  seat  of  justice  for  tko 
second  district  was  at  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  ;  the  first 
court  to  be  held  on  the  third  Monday  in  August.  The  scat  of 
justice  for  the  third  district  was  at  Mendota ;  the  first  court 
to  be  held  on  the  fourth  Monday  in  August. 

The  chief-justice  was  assigned  to  hold  the  courts  in  the  first 
district,  which  duty  he  performed  in  accordance  with  the  gov- 
ernor's proclamation.  This  was  the  first  court  held  in  this 
territory ;  it  remained  in  session  six  days.  Judge  Meeker 
was  assigned  to  hold  the  courts  in  the  second  district,  which 
duty  he  performed ;  there  was  no  cause  pending  in  this  court. 
Judge  Cooper  was  assigned  to  hold  the  courts  in  the  third 
district,  which  duty  -was  performed  by  him.  No  cause  pend- 
ing in  this  court. 

There  was  at  this  period  fifteen  lawyers  in  the  ten-itory. 

Up  to  this  time  we  have  had  three  trials  for  murder.  The 
accused  was  in  one  case  acquitted  by  the  jury,  and  in  another 
found  guilty  of  manslaughter,  and  imprisoned  in  Fort  Snelling 
for  a  period  of  one  year. 

A  Sioux  Indian  was  tried  in  the  November  term,  1852,  be- 
fore the  chief-justice  of  the  territory,  for  shooting  and  killing 


TMIi:    ('(•l.'R'I'S. 


221 


a  wlnte  woman,  niul  iiotwiflistHiiding  nMo  tilTorts  made  to 
clcjir  liim  by  liis  Icgnl  ndviHors  (J.  J.  Nonli,  and  D.  A.  Sec- 
comhe,  Esqs.),  lie  wnH  convicted  and  Hcntcncod  to  be  executed. 
His  counnellors,  however,  filed  a  bill  of  exceptionH,  upon  which 
the  final  issue  now  hangs.  Meanwhile  the  Indian  has  been 
confined  in  jail. 

The  first  term  of  the  supremo  court  for  this  territory  was 
held  at  the  American  house,  in  the  town  of  St.  Paul,  on  Mon- 
day, the  14th  January,  1850,  Judges  Goodrich  and  Cooper 
being  present.  There  are  at  this  time  two  courthouses  in  the 
territ(uy  — one  at  St.  Paul,  the  other  at  Stillwater.  Two 
terms  of  the  supreme  court  are  held  at  the  capital  each  year, 
commencing  on  the  last  Monday  of  February,  and  the  first 
Monday  of  September.  Such  other  special  terms  are  held  as 
the  judges  may  deem  necessary,  and  shall  from  time  to  time 
order. 

In  accordance  with  a  law  passed  at  the  last  session  of  the 
legislative  assembly,  the  terms  of  the  district  court  of  the  ter- 
ritory are  held  at  the  times  and  places  following  : — 

In  the  county  of  Ramsey,  on  the  third  Monday  of  April, 
and  the  third  Monday  of  October ;  in  the  county  of  Washing- 
ton, on  the  first  Monday  of  April,  and  on  the  first  Monday  of 
October;  in  the  county  of  Chisago,  on  the  first  Monday  of 
June ;  in  the  county  of  Benton,  on  the  second  Monday  of 
June,  and  second  Monday  of  December;  in  the  county  of 
Hennepin,  on  the  first  Monday  of  April,  and  the  first  Monday 
of  September ;  in  the  county  of  Dakota,  on  the  second  Mon- 
day of  September ;  in  the  county  of  Scott,  on  the  third  Mon- 
day of  September ;  in  the  county  of  Le  Sueur,  on  the  fourth 
Monday  of  September ;  in  the  county  of  Blue-Earth,  on  the 
first  Monday  of  October;  in  the  county  of  Nicollet,  on  the 
second  Monday  of  October ;  in  the  county  of  Wabashaw,  on  the 
second  Monday  in  June ;  in  the  county  of  Fillmore,  on  the 
fourth  Monday  of  June. 

The  counties  of  Ramsey,  Washington  and  Chisago,  consti- 
tute the  first  judicial  district,  and  the  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Welch  is 
district  judge  thereof. 

The  counties  west  of  the  Mississippi  river,  except  tlie  coun- 


222 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS  RESOUECKS. 


I  m 


ties  of  Pembina  and  Cass,  constitnte  the  second  judicial  district, 
and  the  Hon.  A.  G.  Ohatfield  is  district  judge  thereof. 

And  the  counties  of  Benton,  Cass,  and  Pembina,  constitute 
the  third  judicial  district,  and  the  Hon.  Moses  Sherburne  is 
district  judge  thereof. 

Either  of  the  district  judges  are  authorized  and  empowered 
to  hold  any  of  the  district  courts  assigned  to  .any  of  the  other 
district  judges,  or  any  of  the  special  terms  appointed  to  be 
held,  not  within  his  own  district,  or  any  of  the  chamber  duties 
within  each  district,  at  the  request  of  the  district  judge  to 
Avhom  such  district  is  assigned. 

For  judicial  and  other  purposes,  to  enforce  civil  rights  and 
criminal  justice,  the  county  of  Itasca  is  attached  to  and  made 
a  part  of  Chisago  ;  the  counties  of  Cass  and  Pembina  are  at- 
tached to  Benton  ;  the  county  of  Sibley  is  attached  to  Henne- 
pin ;  the  county  of  Pierce  is  attached  to  Nicollet ;  the  county 
of  Rice  is  attached  to  Dakota ;  and  the  county  of  Goodhue 
is  attached  to  the  county  of  Wabashaw. 


t   •! 


iwm  '1 


GOVERNMENT    ROADS. 

The  policy  which  has  been  pursued  in  the  application  of  the 
several  appropriations  made  for  the  construction  of  roads  in 
Minnesota,  by  act  of  Congress,  of  July  18,  1850,  has  been  — 
firstly,  to  make  the  surveys,  and  prepare  maps  and  estimates, 
for  the  use  of  the  department  at  Washington  having  control 
of  the  appropriation;  secondly,  to  apply  the  unexpended 
balances  to  the  construction,  as  far  as  possible,  of  the  roads. 

The  surveys  of  the  several  roads  have  been  completed,  Avith 
the  .exception  of  the  contemplated  one  from  Mendota  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Big  Sioux  river. 

An  appropriation  of  ten  thousand  dollars  has  been  made  for 
the  purpose,  and  the  road  is  now  being  surveyed,  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Big  Sioux,  on  the  upper  Missouri,  to  a  point  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota  river,  opposite  Fort  Snelling. 
They  are  ordered  to  report  upon  its  adaptability  for  railway 
purposes,  it  being  contemplated  to  make  this  the  northerly 


branch  of  the  Pacific  railw 


ay. 


GOVEENMENT  ROADS. 


223 


This  country  is  unexplored,  the  surveys  of  government  lands 
being  four  hundred  miles  east  of  the  Sioux  river.  It  will  pass 
through  the  country  lately  acquired  from  the  Sioux  Indians, 
who  still  roam  the  "  Traverse  des  Sioux"  unmolested,  but  this 
progressive  age  will  not  permit  those  fertile  tracts  to  remain  in 
imdisputed  possession  of  either  Indians  or  buffalo.  The  party 
consists  of  Captain  Reno,  of  the  United  States  army,  chief; 
Captain  Tilton,  late  chief-engineer  of  railroads  in  Indiana, 
chief-engineer;  Mr.  Cross,  formerly  of  the  army,  assistant- 
engineer  ;  and  twenty  men,  principally  of  the  fur  companies 
of  St.  Louis,  to  be  furnished  with  Colt's  pistols  and  the  patent 
rifle.  Captain  Tilton,  chief-engineer,  is  intrusted  with  the  duty 
of  making  a  report  upon  the  practicability  of  this  country  for 
railway  purposes.  The  result  of  the  labors  of  tne  party  will 
be  placed  before  the  department,  in  accordance  with  a  reso- 
lution of  Congress  last  winter,  making  an  appropriation  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  for  surveys  and  explora- 
tions connected  with  the  Pacific  railroad  and  its  branches. 

Tho  road  from  Wabashaw  to  Mendota  has  been  surveyed, 
and  a  portion  of  the  road,  with  a  number  of  bridges  along 
Lake  Pepin,  are  now  under  contract,  and  are  to  be  completed 
as  soon  as  practicable. 

The  road  from  Point  Douglas  to  Fort  Ripley  has  been  ren- 
dered available  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  ;  and  bridges,  with 
suitable  approaches,  have  been  built  over  Coon  creek.  Elk 
river,  and  Rock  creek.  This  road  is  a  military  and  com- 
mercial thoroughfare,  by  which  the  Chippewa  and  Winnebago 
Indians,  the  troops  at  Fort  Ripley,  and  the  traders  at  Pembina 
and  Selkirk  receive  their  supplies.  Thirty  miles  of  this  road 
are  also  under  contract. 

The  road  from  the  Mississippi  rivor  to  Long  Prairie,  here- 
tofore almost  impassable  in  seasons  of  high  water,  has  been 
much  improved ;  and  bridges  have  been  built  at  the  two 
crossings  of  Swan  river.  Nine  miles  of  this  road  are  now 
completed. 

Twenty-four  miles  of  the  Point  Douglas  and  St.  Louis  river 
road  have  been  constructed,  opening,  from  Stillwater  north- 
ward for  that  distance,  a  good  highway.     The  extension  of 


l^* 

■ 

^^^^^^1 

H 

fl 

P^=5>,«im:    1 

H 

1'    .fU 


'  I 


224 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


I'll 


this  road  is  required  to  bring  into  market  the  extensive  and 
richly-wooded,  but  inaccessible  region,  lying  north  of  th« 
Marine  mills,  and  open  to  settlement  and  the  enterprise  of  our 
lumbermen,  tracts  of  valuable  land,  now  lying  waste  for  want 
of  means  of  communication  with  them.  Nineteen  miles  of  this 
road  are  under  contract,  and  will  be  finished  this  season.  This 
will  complete  it  from  Stillwater  to  the  vicinity  of  Sunrise  river. 
Forty  thousand  dollars  have  been  appropriated  on  this  road 
alone. 


MISCELLANEOUS   MATTERS. 


225 


If' '9 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 


EvERif  good  thing  has  its  alloy.  The  perpetual  summer  of 
the  tropics  produces  inactivity  in  man,  as  well  as  a  super- 
abundance of  spontaneous  fruits  to  supply  his  wants.  The 
herdsman  upon  the  pampas  of  South  America,  with  his  innu- 
merable cattle  that  are  reared  without  the  expense  of  feeding 
or  shelter,  with  all  his  apparent  resources  of  wealth,  is  poor — 
hut  little  better  than  a  savage.  The  farmer  upon  the  American 
bottoms,  who  turns  over  his  hundred  acres  of  black  furrows  in 
one  field,  which  presently  becomes  as  it  were  a  young  forest 
of  green  maize,  waving  and  rustling  in  the  sultry  breezes  of 
August,  as  he  sits  in  the  open  space  between  his  two  log 
cabins,  at  noonday,  feeble  and  enervated,  and  his  little  pale 
children,  shaking  with  ague,  gather  around  him,  and  he  listens 
to  the  shrill  cry  of  the  locust — and  sees  far  off  upon  the 
Mississippi  river,  the.  steamboat — even  the  steamboat — hot, 
panting,  exhausted,  smiting  the  sluggish  waters  with  feeble 
strokes;  his  very  heart  sinks  within  him  —  and  he  sighs  for 
the  cool,  bracing  mountain  air,  or  the  stimulating  sea-breeze 
and  the  sparkling  spring  water ;  and  would  exchange  all  his 
corn-fields  and  his  acres  for  a  garden  among  the  sterile  rocks 
of  the  north,  with  its  rigors,  its  snow-banks,  and  its  little 
painted  schoolhouses.  So  Californii  has  its  alloy  !  ah,  much 
more  alloy  than  gold.  It  may  be  considered  an  axiom,  that 
the  richest  lands  are  not  found  in  the  most  healthful  climates. 
Nature  delights  in  making  an  equitable  average  in  the  distri- 
bution of  her  favors  ;  althougii  ncr  eciuivaieuts  at 
may  not  all  seom  quite  fair. 

10* 


-i    x1 

3L    LUUl 


*-  i 


i  n 


ill 


220 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


Wlmt  shall  it  profit  Jiman  to  clioose  lands,  watered  by  creeks 
fi;ll  of  fever  and  ague,  and  horn-pouts  and  lily -pads,  producing 
cue  hundred  bushels  of  corn,  to  the  acre,  and  worth  twenty 
cents  per  bushel,  rather  than  lands  watered  by  trout  brooks 
and  mossy  springs,  producing  only  fifty  bushels  of  corn  per 
acre,  worth  seventy-five  cents  per  bushel  ? 

Settlers,  what  do  you  want?  Will  it  satisfy  you  to  get 
land,  as  good  as  there  is  in  New  York  or  New  England,  where 
the  climate  is  even  better,  and  the  market  all  you  please  to 
ask  1  Such  lands  you  can  find.  We  have  warm,  sandy  loams, 
rich  argillaceous  soils,  clay  lands,  precisely  like  the  barrens 
of  Michigan,  all  —  all  productive  lands,  far  better  than  they 
look — and,  in  fact,  such  as  will  soon  make  an  industrious 
farmer  rich.  Or  will  you  be  satisfied  with  nothing  but  the  flat, 
unctuous  prairies  of  Illiitois,  extending  in  unbroken  plains, 
and  watered  by  stagnant  creeks  ,'  If  so,  in  God's  name  go 
there  and  settle,  and  when  the  great  blazing  sun  sets,  and 
leaves  you  there  upon  the  chill  naked  prairie,  your  children 
sick  and  uneducated,  and  without  one  hope  or  aspiration 
rising  above  the  dead  level  that  surrounds  you  there,  re  lember 
—  remember  that  these  things  have  been  told  you. 

This  immense  region  is  bountifully  watered  by  the  Missis- 
sippi, Minnesota,  and  Missouri  rivers,  and  the  Red  river  of  the 
north,  and  their  numerous  tributary  streams,  which  traverse  it 
in  every  part.  At  a  point  about  seventy  or  eighty*  miles  above 
the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  west  of  the  Mississippi,  commences  a 
large  and  remarkable  forest,  which  extends  to  the  southward, 
nearly  at  a  right  angle,  across  the  Minnesota  river,  to  the 
branches  of  the  Mankato  or  Blue-Earth  river.  This  vast 
body  of  woodland  is  more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
in  length,  and  from  fifteen  to  forty  in  breadth.  Many  beautiful 
lakes  of  limpid  water  are  found  within  its  limits,  which  are 
the  resort  of  myriads  of  wild  fowl,  including  swans,  geese, 
and  ducks.  These  dense  thickets  along  its  border  afford 
places  of  concealment  for  the  deer,  which  are  killed  in  great 
numbers  by  the  Indians.  The  numerous  groves  of  hard  maple 
aiiOrd  to  the  latter,  at  the  proper  si  ason,  the  means  of  making 
Bugar,  while  the  large  cotton-woods  and  butternuts  are  con- 


MISCICLLANEOUS    MATTERS. 


22T 


by  creeks 
producing 
h  twenty- 
it  brooks 
corn  per 

3u  to  get 
id,  where 
please  to 
3y  loams, 
B  barrens 
ill  an  they 
idustrious 
t  the  flat, 
in  plains, 
name  go 
sets,  and 
children 
ispiration 
•e  lember 

le  Missis- 
*^er  of  the 
[•averse  it 
les  above 
mences  a 
(uthward, 
;r,  to  the 
rhis  vast 
nty  miles 
beautiful 
vliich  are 
IS,  geese, 
sr  afford 
in  great 
rd  maple 
r  making 
are  con- 


verted by  them  into  canoes,  for  the  transportation  of  them- 
selves and  their  families  along  the  water-courses  and  lakes. 
At  the  approach  of  winter,  the  bands  of  Dakotas  or  Sioux, 
save  those  who  rely  exclusively  upon  buffalo  for  subsistence, 
seek  the  deepest  recesses  of  the  forest  to  hunt  the  bear, 
the  deer,  and  smaller  fur-bearing  animals,  among  which  may 
be  enumerated  the  raccoon,  the  fisher,  and  the  marten.  In  this 
beautiful  country  are  to  be  found  all  the  requisites  to  sustain  a 
dense  population.  The  soil  is  of  great  fertility  and  unknown 
depth,  covered  as  it  is  with  the  mould  of  a  thousand  years. 
The  Indian  is  here  in  his  forest  home,  hitherto  secure  from 
the  intrusion  of  the  pale  faces  ;  but  the  advancing  tide  of 
civilization  warns  him,  that  the  time  has  arrived  when  he  must 
yield  up  the  title  to  this  fair  domain,  and  seek  another  and  a 
strange  dwelling-place. 

Minnesota  now  occupies  no  unenviable  position.  The  gov- 
ernment granted  us,  secures  us  all  in  the  full  possession  of 
privileges  almost  if  not  fully  equal  to  those  enjoyed  by  the 
people  of  the  states.  With  a  legislative  council  elected  from 
among  our  own  citizens,  our  own  judicial  tribunals,  with  ample 
provision  for  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  territorial  govern- 
ment, and  with  the  right  of  representation  in  the  halls  of 
Congress,  surely  we  oan  have  no  cause  of  complaint  so  far  as 
our  political  situation  is  concerned.  It  is  for  ourselves,  by  a 
wise,  careful,  and  practical  legislation,  and  by  the  improving 
the  advantages  we  possess,  to  keep  inviolate  the  public  faith, 
and  to  hasten  the  time  when  the  star  of  Minnesota,  which 
now  but  twinkles  in  the  political  firmament,  shall  shine  bril- 
liantly in  the  constellation  of  our  confederated  states. 

As  a  territory,  but  yesterday  without  a  name,  or  political 
existence,  our  growth  has  been  of  the  most  satisfactory  charac- 
ter. Health  has  prevailed  within  our  borders.  Our  new  soil 
has  not  failed  to  respond  gratefully  to  the  labors  of  the  hus- 
bandman ;  and  already  in  places,  our  prairies,  scarcely  aban- 
doned by  the  disappearing  buffalo,  are  assuming  a  robe  of 
cultivated  verdure.  The  enterprise  of  our  hardy  lumbermen 
has  met  with  a  liberal  retuiii;  and  there  has  been  a  rapid, 
augmentation  of  this  important  element  of  wealth,  and  rich 


ll<  . 


228 


IS 


XriNNliSOTA    AXI)   ITS    KESOUK0E8. 


source  of  revenue,  so  invaluable  to  ourselves,  as  well  as  to  tlio 
country  on  the  great  river  to  tlio  south  of  us. 

In  the  eyes  of  the  world,  Minnesota  is  a  peculiar  country 
It  is  to  their  view  elevated  morally  as  well  as  j>liysically  above 
the  horizon  of  other  new  countries,  as  it  were  in  an  illusion  of 
7niragc.  The  world  regards  it  not  as  the  Eldorado  of  gold,  but 
of  a  happy  home  for  cultivated  man. 

Emigration  to  the  West  has  heretofoi.  i  nauseously 

associated  with  the  idea  of  low  latitudes,  t.i«  miasms  of  flat 
lands,  and  consequent  disease  and  heart-sickening  disappoint- 
ments. It  has,  too,  been  associated  with  back-woods  institu- 
tions—  lynch  law,  the  bowie-knife,  uncertain  means  of  educa- 
tion, and  a  gospel  ministry  on  horseback.  Minnesota  presents 
another  picture,  and  is  truly  a  phenomenon  in  the  eyes  of  the 
migrating  world.  It  occupies  a  high  latitude,  has  a  quickly- 
drained  surface,  and  is  the  inviting  home  of  intelligence,  enter- 
prise, good  laws,  schools,  and  churches. 

In  a  moral  view  especially,  the  world  anticipates  much  for 
Minnesota.  For  a  people,  like  trees,  are  exponents  of  the  soil 
on  which  they  subsist  and  the  atmosphere  they  breathe.  The 
observation  of  the  world  has  made  this  an  axiom  —  like  coun- 
try, like  people.  Considering  then  our  location  upon  the 
earth,  is  it  not  evident  that  our  territory  is  not  only  a  peculiar 
land,  but  that  it  is  to  be  the  home  of  a  peculi  people  1  We 
who  are  here,  migrated  with  that  idea  before  us,  and  we  are 
still  guided  by  it.  That  portion  of  the  emigrating  class  who 
entertain  the  same  idea,  will  of  course  come  here  too. 

California  is  a  phenomenon  too,  but  she  addresses  her  claims 
to  another  and  a  different  class  of  people  from  those  who 
appreciate  Minnesota;  besides,  she  is  not  materially  unlike 
the  other  Spanish  provinces  which  have  in  earlier  times  been 
famed  for  gold  alone.  Kut  our  territory  addresses  itself  to  a 
wiser  and  a  better  class  than  the  mere  seekers  of  gold.  It 
.addresses  itself  to  that  class  who  value  a  good  home  for  a  man, 
a^  land  of  moderate  affluence,  law  and  order,  intelligence  and 
virtue.     If  its  destiny  is  to  be  the  best  home  for  that  large 

class  of  people  toward  thp,  visiTio'  cnn  wi,^  on«i,  ^ i „ 

does  it  not  behoove  us  to  see  that  this  destiny  is  well  carried 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 


229 


out.  Tlie  pilgriins  at  Plymouth  did  tlicir  duty  to  tlicir  posterity, 
and  that  peoi)lo  liavo  been  prospered.  William  Pcnu  and  his 
followers  did  their  duty,  and  tlieiv  posterity  have  been  prospered. 

The  present  population  of  Minnesota  are  responsible  for  her 
future  prosperity.  It  is  for  us  to  lay  the  foundations  of  good 
institutions  or  of  those  planted  in  error  which  in  time  will  fall. 

Let  generous  and  good  men  be  sustained  in  their  philan- 
tliropic  purposes,  but  let  individuals  who  seek  personal  aggran- 
dizement at  the  expense  of  law  and  order  be  rebuked. 

Minnesota  is  destined  to  assume  a  high  rank  among  the 
states  the  Union.  The  high-toned  character  of  the  population, 
Bo  different  from  that  usually  found  upon  the  frontier — their 
ol)edience  to  law  —  the  zeal  manifested  in  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion, the  disposition  universally  shown  to  make  every  sacrifice 
to  place  the  prosperity  of  the  territory  upon  a  sure  basis  —  the 
aversion  felt  to  all  schemes  which  may  in  any  wise  entail 
embarrassment  or  debt  upon  the  future  state,  and  the  general 
anxiety  to  maintain  the  character  of  the  territory  unblemished, 
afford  a  sure  guaranty  of  the  moral  principles  by  which  the 
people  will  always  be  guided,  and  upon  which  their  govern- 
ment will  be  conducted.  The  munificent  grants  of  land  made 
by  Congress  for  the  university  and  for  the  maintenance  of 
CDmnion  schools,  will  be  husbanded  with  great  care,  so  that  the 
benefits  of  education  may  be  extended  to  every  one  who  is 
desirous  to  avail  himself  of  such  privileges.  The  population 
of  the  territory  has  more  than  quadrupled  since  the  census  of 
1850,  and  it  is  morally  certain  that  there  will  be  an  addition 
to  it  of  thirty  thousand  souls  in  the  lapse  of  another  year. 
The  immigration  to  Minnesota  is  composed  of  men  who  cyme 
with  the  well-founded  assurance  that,  in  a  land  where  Nature 
lias  lavished  her  choicest  gifts  — where  sickness  has  no  dwel- 
ling-place—  where  the  dreaded  cholera  has  claimed  no  victims 
—  their  toil  will  be  amply  rewarded,  while  their  persons  and 
property  are  fully  protected  by  the  broad  shield  of  law.  The 
sun  shines  not  upon  a  fairer  region  —  one  more  desirable 
as  a  home  for  the  mechanic,  the  farmer  and  the  laborer, 
•''•'  "liere  thcU"  industry  will  be  mofc  surely  rcquitcu.— ~tlian 
Minnesota  territory. 


1 
(      I 


r  .1  ,1 


i 


230 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS  RESOURCES. 


•   We  shall  raise  cattle  for  those  states  where  they  can  not 
do  it  so  well.     Our  b^ef  and  horses  will  he  as  innch  more  val- 
uable than  the  same  products  of  tlie  states  below  us,  as  are 
the  agricultural  products  of  New  England  su])crior  in  quality 
to  those  of  the  general  west.     Our  meats  will  have  a  higher 
flavor,  and  our  horses  more  activity.     We  shall  grow  wool  to 
great  advantage,  all  the  way  to  Pembina,  five  thousand  miles 
north.     Wo  shall  grow  flax,  and  prepare  it  for  the  eastern 
market  at  our  numerous  places  for  water  power.     We  shall  ex- 
port potatoes,  a  source  of  income  which  of  itself  would  sustain 
us,  as  it  now  nearly  sustains  Nova  Scotia.     But  I  believe  that 
our  chiefest  reliance  as  an  article  of  export,  will  be  our  manu- 
factured lumber.     We  have  facilities  for  this  branch  of  busi- 
ness that  can  scarcely  be  found  elsewhere.     All  the  states  on 
the  Mississippi,  two  thousand  miles  to  its  mouth,  and  the  West 
Indies  and  Mexico,  would  be  our  natural  markets  for  this  pro- 
duction.    No  section  of  the  world  could   compete  with   us. 
The  pine  may  here  be  converted,  and  principally  by  machin- 
ery, into  a  thousand  forms — from  a  meetinghouse  to  a  noggin. 
St.  Anthony  will  delight  to  fill  orders. 

In  the  order  of  things  it  can  not  be  but  the  mines  on  our 
lake  shore  will  be  the  foundation  for  wealthy  towns,  the  lake 
itself  the  field  of  the  most  important  fisheries,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence, there  will  be  avenues  of  trade  opened  between  the 
head  of  southern  and  northern  navigation.  The  capital  of 
distant  cities  emulous  for  this  trade  will  be  invested  in  these 
works.  Labor  will  flow  in  at  the  call  of  capital,  and  popula- 
tion will  increase  in  ratio  with  the  profits  of  such  investments. 
There  are  a  hundred  topics  of  intellectual  speculation  like 
these,  that  I  might  take  up,  but  our  chickens  are  so  many  that 
I  will  not  attempt  to  count  them,  but  ask  the  world  to  come 
and  see  them  hatch. 

We  have  the  attractive  country,  and  with  these  sources  of 
population  at  our  command,  who  can  even  approximate  to  a 
correct  estimate  of  our  future  increase  1  I  will  certainly  be 
safe  to  anticipate  the  proportional  increase  for  the  next  five 
years,  as  equal  to  at  least  double  that  of  any  other  portion  of 
the  west  during  the  past  five  years. 


THE   PUBLIC   LANDS. 


231 


I  hope  tlifit  tlionsancls  of  immigr.ation  companies  will  be 
formed  during  tlie  present  year,  and  that  those  engaged  in 
organizing  them  will  not  overlook  the  superior  advantages  of 
Minnesota.  I  sincerely  believe  that  no  other  portion  of  the 
west  presents  so  many  attractions  to  the  enterprising  immigrant 
as  our  own  territory.  A  large  portion  of  it  is  situated  upon 
the  navigable  head-waters  and  tributaries  of  the  Mississippi, 
thus  being  in  intimate  communication  with  the  richest  and 
most  thriving  portion  of  the  Union. 

Most  of  the  lands  so  situated  are  in  the  Sioux  country,  and 
may  be  taken  possession  of  by  actual  settlers  before  they 
come  into  market,  and  fall  into  the  hands  of  speculators. 
Those  who  enrich  the  soil  by  their  labor  ought  to  be  its  own- 
ers. Although  we  entertain  this  opinion,  we  condemn  no  man 
for  speculating  in  land.  While  the  system  of  land  speculation 
continues,  every  one  is  justified  in  striving  to  share  in  its  ad- 
vantages. 

No  fact  is  more  evident,  than  that  both  the  settlers  and  the 
territory  would  be  in  a  far  more  prosperous  condition,  if  our 
lands  were  owned  by  none  but  those  who  occupy  or  improve 
them  by  their  own  labor  and  capital. 

The  Sioux  treaties  having  been  ratified  by  the  senate  of 
the  United  States,  more  than  twenty  millions  of  acres  of 
land  are  open  for  settlement,  before  it  can  he  surveyed — be- 
fore   IT    CAN    BE     MONOPOLISED     BY    SPECULATORS.       The    SUn 

never  shone  upon  a  more  beautiful  or  fertile  land.  A  more 
salubrious  country,  old  or  new,  exists  not  in  the  broad  domain 
of  the  east  or  west. 

Go  to  work,  men,  in  the  states — men  of  industry,  enter- 
prise, and  intelligence.  Organize  your  emigration  companies, 
shake  the  dust  from  your  feet,  and  hasten  on  to  the  wild  lands 
of  Minnesota,  which  bid  you  take  them,  without  money  and 

without  price. 

You  will  have  nothing  more  to  do  than  come  and  take  pos- 
session of  the  lands.  Your  "  claims"  thus  made  will  be  a 
sufficient  title  till  these  lands  shall  have  been  surveyed  and 

brought  into  market. 

Tn,.„^.  fi,o  Trtwn  livjp.  tft  thft  Minnesota  river — from  the  Mis- 


X  LKJli-i    t 


xi^w    M\r     v.i 


232 


MINNESOTA    AND   ITS   RESOrRCES. 


^ 


sissippi  reachhip  beyond  the  head-waters  of  the  Bhie-Enrth, 
layH  a  broad  scope  of  territorvi  unsurpassed  in  all  the  neces- 
sary qualities  of  a  richly-favored  agricultural  country  —  rol- 
ling j)rairies,  heavy  timber,  /ell  watered,  and  quite  exempt 
from  malarious  inlluences.  So  easy  of  access,  that  navigable 
rivers  wash  two  sides  for  hundreds  of  miles  in  length.  Those 
who  settle  upon  the  Minnesota  will  have  steamboats  at  their 
doors,  while  those  who  fill  up  the  more  central  portions  will 
not  wait  long  for  the  iron  road. 

No  kind  of  evil  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  press  or  individ- 
ual writers,  is  more  reprehensible,  or  should  be  condemned 
with  more  severity,  than  that  of  deliberately  planning  the 
inveigling  and  misleading  of  immigrants  by  false  representa- 
tions and  exaggerated  coloring  to  valueless  property. 

The  majority  of  home-seekers  from  foreign  parts  have  a  nice 
little  sum  of  gold  carefully  stowed  away,  the  fruit  of  years  of 
toil  and  saving,  which,  upon  landing  in  a  new  and  strange  coun- 
try, is  their  present  dependence,  and  upon  the  wise  disposal  of 
which  their  future  happiness  and  prosperity  mainly  depend. 

While  our  newspapers  and  writers  have  said  very  much  in 
favor  of  settling  in  Minnesota — have  insisted  strongly  upon 
her  agricultural,  mercantile,  and  lumbering  interests,  they 
have  dealt  very  little  in  exaggerated  statements,  or  inflated 
inducements. 

Much  excitement  prevails  about  this  time  on  the  subject  of 
towns  in  the  valley  of  the  Minnesota  river.  Now,  honestly 
speaking,  there  is  not  a  city  from  its  mouth  to  its  source. 
Tliat  bustle,  activity,  and  enterprise,  are  busy  at  many  charm- 
ing eligible  points  is  true,  and  it  is  not  less  true,  that  townw 
will  grow  up  in  the  valley,  which  most  of  the  older  writers  call 
a  second  Nile.     But  the  towns  are  yet  infuturo. 

The  offering  of  lots  in  these  sites  for  sale  at  reasonable 
prices,  can  not  be  considered  an  illegitimate  speculat'  .n.  We 
all  know  that  the  Minnesota  valley  is  unsurpassed  in  beauty 
ai\d  fertility,  and  as  a  charming  place  of  residence,  where  in- 
dustry Avill  be  rewarded  by  an  overflowing  abundance,  which 
has  but  few  places  to  equal  it. 

That  a  dense  nonulation  will  soon  crowd  the  bark"  "^f  ^^'e 


THE   OT?rMTJLF,R — A    SKETOH. 


233 


le-Enrtli, 
10  ncces- 
ry— rol- 
I  exempt 
avigable 
Those 
1  at  their 
ions  will 

individ- 
idemned 
iiing  the 
ireseuta- 

ve  a  nice 
years  of 
ige  coun- 
sposal  of 

depend. 

much  in 
^]y  upon 
its,   they 

inflated 

ibject  of 
honestly 
)  source. 
y  charm- 
at  townn 
iters  call 

asonable 
m.  We 
L  beauty 
t'here  in- 
e,  which 

.a  ox    iiUXj 


river,  and  that,  at  the  favorable  points,  these  people  will  con- 
gregate together,  forming  towns  and  cities,  there  can  be  no 
doubt ;  then,  should  the  rise  in  property  hold  in  any  proportion 
to  that  in  St.  Paul,  it  is  hard  to  say  what  lots  really  are  worth 
in  the  best  located  town-plots  at  this  moment. 

It  can  not  be  expected  that  we  shall  feel  as  much  interest 
in  the  creation  of  these  towns  as  the  settling  of  the  agricul- 
tural portioii  of  the  country.  It  pains  me  to  think  that  tens 
of  thousands  are  toiling  in  the  far  East,  upon  a  stingy,  beggar- 
ly, wornout  soil,  yielding  scarcely  sufficient  to  keep  soul  and 
boily  together,  while  in  that  delicious  valley  the  most  luxuri- 
ant growths  fall  uncropped  to  the  ground.  With  the  voice  of 
a  Stentor,  Minnesota  might  proclaim  to  all  nations,  "  Come 
luito  me  all  ye  who  are  hungry  and  naked,  and  I  will  feed 
and  clothe  ye."  But  she  should  add,  "Bring  a  good  stock  of 
industry,  ambition,  patience,  and  perseverance,  and  don't  ex- 
pect to  find  large  cities,  with  marble  palaces,  bui  a  rich,  open 
soil,  with  plenty  of  wood  and  stone  for  building."  Armed 
with  fortitude  and  a  small  capital,  we  say  come,  and  when  you 
come,  go  to  work,  and  blessings  will  rapidly  multiply  around  you. 

But  there  is  a  class  of  immigrants  who  are  deserving  of  re- 
proof, for  their  desire  to  cavil  and  find  fault  with  everything 
not  suited  to  their  ideas  of  accumulating  wealth  without 
trouble  or  difficulty.  The  following  article  from  the  pen  of 
Major  J.  J.  Noah,  from  the  Minnesofa  Pioneer,  gives  a  correct 
idea  of  the  "grumbler"  and  his  reproof: — 

"  Minnesota  must  create  some  noise  in  the  world,  and  some 
anxiety  on  the  part  of  adventurers  to  visit  and  examine  its 
resources.  Every  boat  comes  thronged  with  new  faces,  all 
eager  in  inquiring  what  and  how  chance  may  favor  them  in 
their  whims,  caprices,  and  predilections.  Mr.  Simpkins,  an 
old  citizen,  meets  a  friend  from  the  east,  a  schoolmate  and 
boy-companion,  just  arrived  from  home  to  take  a  peep  at  this 
region  of  bears'  meat  and  buffalo.  Simpkins  is  naturally  glad 
to  see  his  old  friend,  Mr.  Codger,  and  after  the  natural  in- 
quiries of  bygone  days,  they  walk  up  Third  street,  arm-in-arm. 

"  Meeting  Mr.  Enterprise,  another  old  citizen,  Simpkins  in- 
troduces Ooderer.  and  dialomies  as  follow  :— 


! 


f 


234 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RKSOTTROES. 


1                     :■                ■,■            ^         ( 
j 

'•'Mr.  Enterprise,  this  is  my  old  friend  Codger,  from  old 
New  York;  boys  together;  come  up  iiero,  wishes  to  see  the 
country,  locate  a  land-warrant,  build  a  farm,  get  married,  &c.' 

"After  Messrs.  Codger  and  Enterprise  shake  hands,  and 
the  compliments  of  a  now  acquaintance  have  passed.  Codger 
puts  Enterprise  upon  his  cross-examination  without  mercy  or 
justice. 

'"Fine  country  this!'  quoth  Codger;  'how  long  have  you 
been  here  — three  years,  eh  ?  town  built  up  in  too  great  a  hur- 
ry.    Any  back  country  to  support  all  this?     Potatoes  raised 
liere?     Corn  won't   gro^\ — too  cold!      Wheat  thrive  hero? 
Plenty  of  buffaloes  and  deer,  I  suppose;  no  trouble  to  kill 
them?     Afraid  of  Injuns  — won't  they  tomahawk  a  fellow?' 
And  so  on  through  a  multitude  of  inquiries,  until  Mr.  Enter- 
prise is  seriously  troubled  which  to  answer  first,  or  to  inform 
Simpkins  that  his  friend  is  either  aberrated  or  foolish;  and  as 
Boon  as  he  can  get  a  word  in  edgewise,  he  quietly  remarks  :^ 
" '  Mr.  Codger,  I  came  here  some  three  years  since  from  the 
state  of  Pennsylvania,  with  my  family  and  a  little  money.     I 
bought  a  town  lot  in  St.  Paul,  which  was  then  in  embryo,  con- 
taining a  few  scattered  houses,  a  government  just  formed,  and 
laws  scarcely  fledged.     I  found  a  scant  population,  mostly  men 
of  intelligence  and  energy,  who  assisted  and  welcomed  my 
advent^  among  them.     I  became  possessed  of  the  presentiment 
of  a  bright  future  for  Minnesota,  and  building  a  shelter  for  my 
famUy  — rolled    up  my  sleeves,  and  worked   at   anything  I 
could  get  to  do.     As  my  ch,nracter  was  known,  so  my  credit 
and  standing  increased.     A  slight  acquisition  of  capital  gave 
me  opportunities  to  speculate  in  town  property  ;  but  I  worked 
all  the  while,  drove  a  team,  chopped  wood,  and  not  linding 
society  as  exacting  as  in  the  east,  I  progressed  in  means  as 
the  country  progressed   in  importance,  and  as  other  men  of 
different  occupations  followed  the  same  course,  you  see  that 
St.  Paul  has  become  a  metropolis,  and  the  country  filled  with 
enterprising  farmers,  breaking  prairie,  raising  crops,  and  ma- 
king themselves  useful  citizens.     All  this  has  not  been  done 
without  labor,  nor  has  there  been  few  obstacles  to  this  sequel. 
Poverty  has  waged  her  bitter  war  against  us  —jealous  countries 


A    WOKD  TO   NEW-COMERS.  235 

lijiA  0  belied  and  attempted  to  injure  our  growth,  but  it  is  some 
Bati.Hfrtction  to  know  that  we  liavo  succeeded,  built  up  n  country 
and  a  name  in  the  far  northwest,  and  made  it  of  such  impor- 

illey  feels  our  slightest 


tanco,   that   the  whole  Mississip 
pulsation,  and  gazes  with  eager  eyes  upon  our  minutest  trans- 
actions. 

♦"Do  not  fancy  for  a  moment,  sir,  that  the  progress  of  these 
events  has  been  a  matter  of  course.  We  all  have  fought  for 
tlicm,  and  battled  for  their  success.  The  farmers,  the  pine 
forests,  the  Indian  trade,  the  lumber  interests,  the  magnificent 
water  power,  the  manufacturer,  the  tradesman,  the  physician, 
the  lawyer,  the  editor — all  have  combined  jointly  and  singly 
to  bring  about  these  results,  and  to  each  belong  their  share 
of  praise  and  their  quota  of  remuneration.  If  you  Avish  to 
settle  here,  locate  your  warrant,  build  your  shanty,  plough  up 
a  few  acres,  fence  tiiem,  sow  some  potatoes,  live  economically, 
and  work  your  way  quietly  into  affluence,  possessed  of  a  fine 
farm,  a  good  name,  and  bright  prospects.  But  if  you  have 
come  here  with  a  desire  to  cavil  and  find  fault,  doing  nothing 
to  advance  yourself,  you  Avill  discover  your  error  too  late  to 
retrieve.  Be  enterprising,  and  do  not  foresee  difficulties,  but 
rather  prepare*  to  surmount  pyramids  of  disadvantages  I' 

"  A  word  to  new-comers.  It  is  wholesome  advice,  and  will 
prove  true.  If  a  man  comes  to  Minnesota  to  settle,  his  way  to 
fortune  will  not  be  smooth.  Let  that  be  clearly  understood. 
Do  not  cavil  or  find  fault,  but  come  prepared  for  work  and 
labor.  Be  enterprising  —  and  persevere.  If  you  go  back  to 
your  home  in  the  East,  underrating  our  country  merely  upon  a 
cursory  glance,  you  do  us  great  injustice  as  well  as  yourself. 
Let  your  motto  be  '  onward  ;'  time  will  accomplish  all ;  and 
when  by  population  our  internal  resources  develop  themselves, 
you  will  be  proud  of  your  remote  home,  the  '  New  England  of 
the  West.' 

"  As  for  minute  details,  they  are  now  unnecessary ;  let  every 
man  come  and  see  us  for  himself — then^W^e.  If,  when  here, 
he  will  only  put  himself  at  anything  he  findeth  for  his  hand 
to  do,  and  then  do  it,  icith  all  his  might,  he  can  not  fail  of 
ultimate  success." 


•Ml}", 


li 

I    i 


% 


!       F 


Ml  ti^il 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOURCES. 


THE    HEALTH    OE    MINNESOTA. 


As  heaitli  is  the  peculiarity  of  the  territory,  and  its  enjoy- 
nient  being  the  greatest  blessing  bestowed  by  Providence,  we 
have  cause  to  be  thankful  to  him  for  casting  here  our  lot. 

It  is  the  constant  remark  of  visiters  among  us,  old  and 
young,  that  there  is  something  in  our  atmosphere  or  climate 
—  they  know  not  what— which  exhilarates  the  mind,  and 
sharpens  the  appetite.  I  have  seen  many  persons  arrive  here 
in  feeble  health,  languid  and  depressed  in  spirits,  and,  after 
a  short  stay,  depart  renewed  and  refreshed  in  body  and  mind. 

It  will  no  longer  be  unknown,  or  doubted,  that  Minnesota 
possesses,  in  a  degree  unsurpassed,  the  two  great  elements  of 
health  :  — a  climate  in  harmony  with  the  most  perfect  condition 
of  the  human  body,  responsive  to  the  demands  of  every  phys- 
ical necessity ;  the  picturesque  scenery,  the  topographical 
grandeur,  and  the  charming  variety  of  natural  beauty,  com- 
bined with  allurements  to  active  enjoyments  —  the  ride,  the 
walk,  excursions  by  land  or  water,  fishing  in  silvery  lakes, 
the  hunt,  and  the  innumerable  rational  sports  suggested  by  our 
climate  and  natural  advantages.  These  unite  to  gratify  and 
exhilarate  the  mind  of  the  invalid,  and  are  of  -all  physic  the 
most  pleasant,  soothing,  and  curative,  for  the  body. 

In  addition  to  natural  advantages,  Art  will  contribute  by 
her  handiwork,  the  appliances,  elegant  and  useful,  essential  to 
the  comfort  and  gratification  of  visiting  invalids.  The  accom- 
modations of  the  hotels  in  St.  Paul,  St.  Anthonv,  and  Still- 
water,  are  not  surpassed,  if  equalled,  in  any  towns  of  like 
extent  in  the  West.  But  these  establishments  do  not  satisfy 
the  luxurious  wants  of  the  wealthy  classes  who  fly  from  the 
heat  of  the  South,  and  the  dust  of  thronged  cities,  to  more 
healthy,  pleasant,  or  sequestered  summer  retreats.  The  in- 
creasing demand  will  soon  supply  hotels  of  the  first  class, 
furnished  in  the  most  sumptuous  style. 

As  a  resort  for  invalids  our  climate  is  peculiarly  inviting. 
When  the  summer  comes,  many  citizens  will  be  fleeing  away 
for  a  few  weeks  from  the  sultry  beams  of  a  city  solstice,  and 
seeking  refreshment  and   repose   in   more  congenial  climes. 


THE   HEALTH   OF   MINNESOTA. 


237 


its  enjoy- 
dence,  we 
ir  lot. 
i,  old  and 
or  climato 
nind,  and 
rrive  here 
and,  after 
and  mind. 
Minnesota 
jments  of 
condition 
ery  phys- 
(graphical 
,uty,  com- 

ride,  the 
iry  lakes, 
;ed  by  our 
'atify  and 
•hysic  the 

ribute  by 
sential  to 
le  accom- 
ind  Still- 
IS  of  like 
ot  satisfy 
from  the 
,  to  more 
The  in- 
rst  class, 

inviting, 
ing  away 
stice,  and 
I  climes. 


The  limpid  lakes  of  Minnesota,  and  the  cool  and  sparkling 
spray  of  St.  Anthony's  falls,  should  no  doubt  attract  a  large 
lunnber.     I  hope  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  our  friends 
living  in  the  cities  toward  the  southern  end  of  the  great  Mis- 
sissippi will  build  country-seats  in  our  vicinity.     There  is  no 
place  on  the  globe  more  healthy  or  more  beautiful  than  Minne- 
'  sota.    Her  prairies  are  studded  with  silvery  lakes  and  traversed 
by  pearly  streams  ;  flowers  of  almost  every  variety  meet  the  eye. 
We  have  mineral  springs  equal  to  any  in  the  world ;  our  lakes 
nbound  with  fish,  and  our  forests  and  prairies  furnish  ample 
amusement  for  the  sportsman.     Gentlemen  residing  in  New 
Orleans  can  come  here  by  a  quick  and  delightful  conveyance, 
and  bring  all  that  is  necessary  to  make  them  comfortable  du- 
ring the  summer  months,  and  at  a  trifling  expense.     For  a 
small  sum  of  money  they  can  purchase  a  few  acres  of  land  on 
the  river,  and  build  summer-cottages.     I  am  satisfied  they  will 
find  it  the  cheapest,  most  convenient,  and  pleasant  mode  of 
spending  their  summer  months.     Here  every  facility  Avill  soon 
be  offered  for  educating  their  children.     A  university  that  will 
vie  with  the  best  in  the  Union  has  been  liberally  endowed  by 
the  government.     But  a  short  time  will  elapse  before  many  of 
the  children  of  the  southern  valley  of  the  Mississippi  will  be 
sent  to  this  healthy  region  to  be  educated.     Let  them  come  — 
they  will  be  cheerfully  welcomed  as  kindred  who  drink  with 
us  out  of  the  greatest  river  in  the  world  ! 

Pleasure-seekers  will  find  Minnesota  a  joyous  Eden  during 
the  summer  months,  and  from  present  indications  myriads  of 
them  will  turn  their  steps  hitherward  the  approaching  season. 
The  etiquette,  expensive  dress,  and  formality,  of  eastern  and 
eouthern  "  watering-places,"  &c.,  can  here  be  thrown  aside, 
and  men  and  women  both  look  and  act  just  as  God  intended 
they  should,  without  let  or  hinderance  from  anybody. 

There  is  now  living  at  Prairieville,  on  the  IMinnesota  river, 
an  old  voyageur  by  the  name  of  Joseph  Montrieul,  who  is 
ninety-four  years  of  age.  Seventy-four  years  ago  he  came 
from  Montreal,  and  has  lived  ever  since  within  the  bounds  of 

He  has  never  resided  but  among  the  Dakotas,  except  when 


'I'V 


2a8 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOUKCES. 


iii 


Jie  made  a  journey  to  the  Pawnees  with  a  trader  by  the  name 
of  Campbell,  the  year  after  his  .arrival  from  Canada — that  is, 
seventy-three  years  ago.  A  very  strong  proof  of  his  honesty 
and  ftiithfulness  is,  that  during  upward  of  seventy  years  he  has 
lived  with  but  three  or  four  employers,  in  the  humble  capacity 
of  voyageur  and  laborer  about  the  trading-posts. 

Thirty  years  ago  ho  lived  with  Mr.  J.  B.  Farribault,  of  Men- 
dota,  who  resided  on  the  island  opposite  Fort  Snelling.  The 
island  was  then  well  and  beautifully  wooded.  On  it  they 
planted  corn  and  vegetables,  and  sowed  wheat,  all  of  which 
was  very  productive ;  but  in  the  year  of  "  the  high  water,"  as 
it  is  remembered  by  the  old  inhabitants,  all  the  buildings  were 
swept  away. 

With  the  exception  of  that  year — ai'ter  which  it  appears  to 
have  been  abandoned  —  the  island  was  seldom  overflowed  to 
such  an  extent  as  has  been  the  case  of  late  years. 

The  old  man  says  *•  he  never  saw  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony," 
and  boasts  of  it  with  something  of  the  same  feeling  which  the 
man  did  whose  only  claim  to  notoriety  was  that  he  had  never 
read  the  "  Waverley  novels."  Although  still  vigorous,  he  is 
quite  deaf,  and  one  of  his  eyes  is  much  dimmed ;  but  he  man- 
acled to  shoot  a  duck  last  fall,  and  said  that  **  he  hoped  to  kill 
a  number  in  the  spring."  In  his  young  days  he  is  said  to  have 
been  an  excellent  shot. 

The  accounts  he  relates  of  the  state  of  the  country  on  the 
Minnesota  river  seventy  years  ago  are  very  interesting.  The 
traders  on  that  river  then  were  Colonel  Dixon,  at  Mendota; 
Campbell,  near  Little  Rapids;  Fraser  (father  of  Jack  Fraser), 
at  Traverse  des  Sioux  ;  two  brothers  of  the  name  of  Hart,  and 
Mr.  Patterson,  at  a  place  now  known  as  Patterson's  Rapids, 
forty  miles  below  Lac-qui-Parle.  He  seemed  to  think  that 
there  was  no  trading-post  higher  up,  but  further  inquiries  will, 
we  think,  prove  that  there  were  trading-posts  near  the  sources 
of  the  "  St.  Peter's,"  as  the  Minnesota  was  then  called,  at  least 
one  hundred  years  ago. 

Long  subsequent  to  Montrieul's  first  arrival  at  Traverse  des 
Sioux,  there  were  thousands  of  buffalo  in  that  neighborhood. 
They  were  even  sometimes  seen  on  the  prairies  in  the  vicinity 


COUREUES   DES   BOIS. 


239 


y  the  name 
a— -that  is, 
liis  honesty 
ears  he  has 
le  capacity 


of  where  Fort  Snell 


ini 


Lilt,  of  Men- 
ling.  The 
3n  it  they 
1  of  which 
water,"  as 
idings  were 

appears  to 
erflowed  to 

Anthony," 
:  which  the 
had  never 
•rous,  he  is 
ut  he  man- 
iped  to  kill 
aid  to  have 

itry  on  the 
ting.  The 
Mendota ; 
ck  Fraser), 
i"  Hart,  and 
I's  Rapids, 
think  that 
uiries  will, 
die  sources 
ed,  at  least 

averse  des 
^hborhood. 
he  vicinity 


,      .  ,   .  ^  "ow  stands.     The  land  was  then  ex- 

tremely rich  in  aninials  and  game  of  all  kinds,  but  yet  both 
the  traders  and  Indians  sometimes  suffered  great  privations  for 
want  of  food. 

The  fur-trade  engendered  a  peculiar  class  of  men  known  by 
the  appropriate  name  of  bush-rangers,  coureurs  des  hois,  half- 
civilized  vagrants,  whose  chief  vocation  was  conducting  the 
canoe  of  the  traders  along  the  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  interior  • 
many  of  them,  however,  shaking  loose  from  every  tie  of  blood 
and  kindred,  identified  themselves  with  the  Indians,  and  sank 
into  utter  barbarism.    In  many  a  squalid  camp  among  the  plains 
and  forests  of  the  west  the  traveller  would  have  encountered 
men  owning  the  blood  and  speaking  the  language  of  France 
yet  in  their  wild  and  swarthy  visages  and  barbarous  costume 
see  ning  more  akin  to  those  with  whom  they  had  cast  their 
lot     Ihe  renegade  of  civilization  caught  the  habits  and  im- 
hbed  the  prejudices  of  his  chosen  associates.     He  loved  to 
decorate  his  long  hair  with  eagle-feathers,  to  make  his  face 
hideous  with  vermilion,  ochre,  and  soot;   and   to   adorn  his 
gieasy  hunting-frock  with  horse-hair  fringes.     His  dwelling,  if 
he  had  one  was  a  wigwam.     He  lounged  on  a  bear-skin,  while 
his  squaw  boiled  his  venison  and  lighted  his  pipe.     In  hunt- 
ing, m  dancing,  in  singing,  in  taking  a  scalp,  he  rivalled  the 
genuine  Indian.     His  mind  was  tinctured  with  the  supersti- 
tions of  the  forest.     He  had  faith  in  the  magic  drum  of  the 
conjurer;  he  was  not  sure  that  a  thunder-cloud  could  not  be 
lightened  away  by  whistling  at  it  through  the  wing-bone  of 
an  eagle ;   he  carried  the  tail  of  a  rattlesnake  in  his  bullet- 
pouch  by  way  of  amulet,  and  he  placed  implicit  trust  in  the 
prophetic  truth  of  his  dreams.     This  class  of  men  is  not  yet 
extinct.     In  the  cheerless  wilds  beyond  the  northern  lakes,  or 
among  the  mountain  solitudes  of  the  distant  west,  they  may 
still  be  found,  unchanged  in  life  and  character  since  the  day 
when  Louis  the  Great  claimed  sovereignty  over  the  desert 
empire. 

Probably  the  world  has  never  produced  a  race  of  more  hardy, 
athletic  pedestrians  than  the  voyageurs  and  trannp.rs  who  v^n- 
through  the  wild  regions  of  North^America,  between  the  great 


240 


MINNICSOTA    AND    ITS    RESOURCES. 


r  ' 


lakes  and  tlie  Pacific  ocean.  The  unwritten  legenrls  of  their 
experience  of  border  and  savage  life,  and  of  their  perilous  ad- 
ventures, would,  if  written,  make  volumes  of  stirring  romance. 
One  of  the  duties  performed  by  voyageurs  is  the  transportation 
of  baggage,  supplies,  and  canoes,  across  portages.  For  tliis 
purpose  they  use  the  "  portage-collar,"  which  is  a  strap  passing 
around  the  forehead,  attached  at  each  end  to  the  burden  or 
pack  to  be  carried,  which  is  also  partly  supported  upon  the 
back.  In  this  manner  a  voyageur  often  carries  (in  packs)  a 
barrel  of  flour  a  distance  of  five  or  six  miles.  Squaws  carry 
burdens  in  the  same  manner.  In  this  way  we  have  often  seen 
them  in  St.  Paul,  carrying  heavy  loads  of  cranberries,  or  of 
corn,  in  a  sack.  The  voyageur  often  finds  '*  a  repose,"  that  is, 
something  to  place  his  burden  upon  while  he  rests,  every  three 
miles  in  crossing  a  portnge.  This  mode  of  transporting  was 
not  only  common  among  trappers  and  voyageurs,  but  until 
lately  it  was  universal  among  the  Indians,  especially  the  Chip- 
pcwas,  who,  until  recently,  had  few  if  any  horses.  We  saw 
in  St.  Paul,  not  long  ago,.  Jack  Fraser,  of  whom  Captain  Mar- 
ryat  makes  mention  in  his  travels  in  the  northwest.  Jack  is 
a  wiry-looking  man,  aged  about  fifty-two  years,  the  son  of  a 
highland  Scotchman  by  an  Indian  mother,  and  one  of  the  most 
intrepid  of  the  Sioux  braves.  At  the  war-dance,  Jack  wears 
thirty-two  eagle-plumes,  each  plume  representing  a  scalp  taken. 
He  never  engages  in  the  medicine-dance,  or  any  of  the  Indian 
orgies  except  the  war-dance,  and  he  dresses  invariably  in  the 
fashion  of  the  whites,  although  he  has  a  stronglj'-marked  In- 
dian face.  He  is  a  nephew  of  Wakouta,  chief  of  the  Red- 
Wing  band  of  Sioux. 

The  prospects  for  builders  and  mechanics  are  certainly  in- 
viting. 

All  building  and  other  town  improvements  have  heretofore 
been  confined  principally  to  St.  Paul,  St.  Anthony,  and  Still- 
water. This  season,  however,  there  will  be  a  very  great  de- 
mand for  mechanics  and  laborers  in  other  portions  of  the  terri- 
tory, and  there  is  no  doubt  but  the  steamboats  will  be  perfectly 
crowded  after  the  opening  of  navigation.  The  towns  of  Red- 
Wlng,  Hastings,  McndotajMir.noapoHs,  Shakopoe,  Henderson: 


iifls  of  their 
perilous  ad- 
11  g  romance, 
insportation 
3.  For  tliis 
trap  passing 
3  burden  or 
id  upon  tlie 
(in  packs)  a 
]^uaw8  carry 
e  often  seen 
erries,  or  of 
)se,"  that  is, 
every  three 
porting  was 
s,  but  until 
ly  the  Chip- 
).  We  saw 
aptain  Mar- 
st.  Jack  is 
he  son  of  a 
of  the  most 
Jack  wears 
scalp  taken, 
f  the  Indian 
iably  in  the 
-marked  In- 
)f  the  Red- 

;ertainly  in- 

e  heretofore 
y,  and  Still- 
■y  great  de- 
of  the  terri- 
be  perfectly 
vns  of  Red- 
He  ndersoDs 


PKOSI'KCT    Foi:    MJ^CIIANICS. 


241 


Lc  Siieur,  Traverse  des  S 

for  a 

t) 


10  u 


vigorous  inipio\einont,  and  will 


X  and  ]\rrtnkato  city,  are  prep 


arinjr 


give  employment  during 


>c  summer  to  a  great  number  of  mechanics  and  lab 
"'blition   to    the  above,   Capt.  Dana   will    prob 
al)()ut  fifty  mechanics,  and 


orers.     In 
probably   employ, 


f  th 


e  new  fort  on  the  Minnesot 


IS  many  laborers,  in  the  consti 


uc- 


a  river.      The  Indian 


tion    o 

c Icpartment  will    also   give  employment  to  many  persons  in 
the  erection  of   the  agency  buildings,  mills,  &c.     Connected 
with  the  improvements  in  the  valley  of  the  Minnesota,  mav 
bo    noticed    the   transportation   of   supplies  which   will    give 
en.ploymci.t    to   fVom    fifty    to   one   hundred    persons    dufin.. 
a  great  portion  of  the  summer  and   fall.     It  is  a  well-knowu 
fac  ,  that  until  the  Minnesota  river  is  improved  at  the  rapids 
ami  the  snags  taken  out  in  many  of  the  bends  in  the  river' 
steamboats,  in  ordinary  seasons,  can  not  navigate  the  Minne- 
sota above  the  rapids,  .....  than  three  months  during  the  sum- 
inu      During  the  remainder  of  the  season  keel  and  flat  boats 
wil    be  used  which  will  give  employment  to  a  great  number  of 
boatmen. 

At  the  Mississippi  Boom  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  per- 
sons are  employed,  exclusive  of  those  necessary  for  runniuir 
ra  (s^of  logs  and  lumber  down  the  Mississippi.  The  booms  on 
t  .0  bt.  Croix,  Rum  nver,  and  at  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and 
he  lumbering  business  of  the  St.  Croix,  require  some  three 
laindred  men.  As  many  more  will  be  wanted  on  the  govern- 
ment roads.  ° 

In  addition  to  all  enumerated  above,  ten  thousand  persons 
are  required  to  raise  flour,  pork,  beans,  and  potatoes,  to  feed 
the  lumbermen  mechanics,  laborers,  merchants,  troops,  Indians, 
and  loafers  of  the  territory. 

The  Indians'  days  of  residence  about  St.  Paul  are  numbered. 
1  l.e.r  auds  are  nil  purchased,  so  that  in  a  very  short  time  they 
u  ill  take  up  their  hue  of  march  in  the  direction  of  the  Rockv 
mountains;  and  the  forests  over  which  thev  roamed  the 
;vaters  by  which  they  dwelt,  will  know  of  tliem  no  morl! 
ll.o.r  mausoleums  of  the  dead  will  be  trampled  under  foot  and 
f.)vgotten.  and   not  a  monument  will  remain  to  record   the  his- 


tory of  a  great  iiatian  that 


IJ 


sing  aw 


ay  for 


ever.     A  feeling 


242 


MINX  smt.v  and  rra  RKsouRCEa. 


of  commiseration  steals  over  me  wliile  contemplating  their 
actual  condition.  Needy,  improvident,  ignorant,  superstitious. 
Witb  sorrowful  hearts  they  hear  the  exulting  cry  of  the  for- 
eigner, that  ••  Westward  the  star  of  empire  takes  its  way,"  and 
as  the  hungry  crowd  of  mixed  nations  press  forward,  with 
gladdened  hearts  at  the  prosj)ect  before  them,  with  this  trium- 
phant motto  emblazoned  on  their  banners,  dispossessing  and 
slvoving  onward  the  moody  savage  —  what  tears,  what  suffering, 
■wliat  gloomy  forebodings  of  the  future  —  what  home  attach- 
ments broken  up  for  ever,  load  the  soul  of  the  helpless  child  of 
nature,  is  with  the  Avhite  not  esteemed  a  matter  WQi'thy  of 
instant  thought.  The  good  missionary  who  labors  for  their 
spiritual  good,  and  who  asks  no  home  out  of  this  sterile  portion 
of  Christ's  vineyard,  takes  up  his  bible,  his  prayer-book  and 
cross,  to  follow  these  homeless  creatures  to  the  still  more  cheer- 
less regions  of  the  remote  north. 


l!i 


CONCLUSION  —  A    VISION. 


243 


CHAPTER   XV. 


CONCLUSION A     VISION SCENE     IN     ST.    PAUL     TWENTY    YEARS 

HENCE,  ALL    OF    WHICH    I    SAW,    AND    PART    OP    WHICH    WE    ALL 
EXPECT    TO    BE. 

"  Coming  events  cant  their  shadows  before.** 

"  I  would  recall  n  vision,  which  I  dreamed 
perchance  in  sleep  — for  in  itself  a  thought — 
A  slumbering  thought,  is  capable  of  years. 
And  curdles  a  long  life  into  one  hour." — Byron. 

I  WAS  seated  witinn  my  study  during  a  late  cold  and  stormy 
afternoon,  in  tliat  melancholy  portion  of  the  year — November. 
The  blazing  fire  leaped  and  crackled  joyously  upon  my  hearth 
in  pleasing  cortrast  with  the  raging  storm  without.  Sitting 
in  my  old  arm-chair  I  watched  the  descending  snow-flakes ; 
and  the  rapid  hurrying  to  and  fro  of  the  many  dashing  sleighs 
and  other  equipages  ;  musing  the  while  upon  the  many  scenes 
of  life  thus  constantly  presented  to  my  eyes,  and  moralizing 
upon  the  hopes,  the  fears,  and  the  future  of  the  busy  throng 
that  floated  by  so  rapidly.  From  musing,  I  soon  fell,  "  as  is 
my  custom  of  an  afternoon,"  into  a  pleasing  slumber,  silent 
and  undisturbed  for  hours.  And  now,  while  sleeping  in  tliat 
comfortable  old  arm-chair,  all  of  a  sudden  my  fancy  portrayed 
the  following  "vision." 

Methonght  that  time  had  shot  his  arrow  suddenly  forward 
some  twenty  years  and  odd,  and  in  manhood's  prime,  and  life 
and  health,  I  siood  upon  the  lofty  bluffs,  overlooking  the  great 
and  populous  city  of  St.  Paul.  Beneath  and  around  me,  on 
every  side,  a  hundred  lofty  spires  glittered  in  the  morning 
sunlight,  while  still  farther  in  the  distance  countless  habita- 


2-U 


MINNESOTA    AM)    ITS    KESOUICOKS. 


tious  of  liumlile  pretensions,  suburban  cottnges  Jind  lowly 
jjardiMis  secnictl  vying  in  a  common  race  to  cover  all  tlie  plain, 
and 'from  the  grassy  vale  and  shady  nook  Icxdced  chceriiigly 
up,  or  from  gentle  hill  slope,  or  clinging  to  the  steeper  sides  of 
tlic  semi-circular  bluffs,  looked  down  and  smiled.  The  sum- 
mits of  the  bluffs  were  crowned  with  the  residences  of  the 
merchant-princes  of  St.  l»aul  — the  homes  of  luxury,  taste, 
relinement,  ease,  and  elegance.  Just  below,  and  almost  at  the 
doors  of  these  merchant-i)rinces,  a  hundred  richly-laden  boats, 
from  all  parts  of  the  upper  and  lower  Mississippi,  the  St.  Croix, 
and  Minnesota,  lay  proudly  at  the  levee,  loading  and  unload- 
in"-  freights,  while  the  song  of  the  laborer  reached  even  to  the 
bluff  whereon  I  stood.  Other  steamers  and  sailing  craft  of 
every  size  were  constantly  arriving  and  departing,  or  passing 
to  and  fro,  while  ferry-boats  were  crossing  and  moving  about 
in  all  directions.  From  opposite  to  Fort  Snelling  away  down 
to  Carver's  Cave,  the  city  stretched  her  snowy  front ;  and  then 
across  the  river  to  the  south,  and  away  oft"  over  the  bluft's  to 
the  north,  as  far  over  the  plain  as  the  eye  could  reach,  villages 
of  lesser  note,  the  rural  palace  and  the  princely  mansion,  with 
here  and  there  a  single  cottage,  with  lavish  and  benignant 
hand  were  strewn  along  the  vale.  City,  town,  and  hamlet, 
the  hill,  the  valley,  the  bluffs,  almost  like  mountains,  and  the 
far-off  plain,  with  the  mighty  Mississippi  and  the  deep  blue  of 
the  far  off  Minnetonka,  were  before  me.  The  sky  above  me 
was  unobscured  by  a  vapor  — 

"  So  cloudless,  clear,  and  purely  beautiful. 
That  God,  alone,  was  to  be  seen  in  Heaven." 

And  from  the  crest  of  Minnetonka's  wave,  on  zepherous  foot- 
steps wandered  to  my  lips  a  breeze  refreshing  and  sweet. 
•  It  was  morning.  The  sun  had  scarcely  cleared  the  horizon, 
and  already  every  street  and  avenue  of  the  city  was  crowded 
with  a  joyous  and  excited  populati.m.  ^Men,  women,  and 
children,  in  gaudy  apparel— the  aged  and  the  youthful--all 
classes,  castes,  conditions,  and  complexions  —  were  mingling  in 
the  utmost  confusion.  '  And  there  was  the  passing  to  and  fro 
of  squads  of  military  in  full  uniform  ;  firemen  in  gay  shirts 


CONCLUSION  —  A   VISION. 


245 


and  caps ;  Tncmherfi  of  l)OTievolcnt  and  civic  societies,  in  rich 
r(><^alia  and  insignia  of  tlieir  several  orders  ;  oftlcers  of  tlie 
Jinny  and  navy,  soldiers,  pollcenu-n  with  hadges  and  inaces ; 
iiiarsiials  on  horsehack,  in  gandy  sashes  and  rosettes  ;  while 
s(jnadi^  of  monnted  cavalry  and  lancers  were  charging  hitlier 
and  thither.  A  thousand  flags  and  banners  floated  over  the 
city,  and  from  the  boats  along  the  levee  ;  and  the  flashing 
of  tinseled  uniforms,  of  bayonets,  of  sword  and  lance,  of  fire- 
engines  and  gay  equipage  of  every  kind,  threw  back  the  sun- 
light. The  ceaseless  roll  of  drums,  and  the  clangor  of  martial 
music,  were  mingled  with  the  roar  of  artillery,  which  from 
early  dawn  had  continued  to  peel  from  one  end  of  the  city  to 
the  other;  and  on  the  river,  and  from  St.  Anthony  and  Men- 
.!ota,  and  from  where  Fort  Snelling  used  to  stand —  the  lofty 
site  now  covered  with  a  growing  town  —  cannon  answered 
cannon,  and  in  tones  of  thunder  reverberated  from  bluff  to  bluff 
—  from  plain  to  plain,  and  from  shore  to  shore  —  dying  off  at 
length  toward  Lake  Pepin  to  the  south. 

It  was  the  Fourth  of  July,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy- 
six;  and  on  that  day,  representatives  from  the  several  old 
Mississippi  valley  states,  from  Nebraska,  and  the  other  new 
states  and  territories  extending  westward  to  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains ;  the  people  from  the  North,  too,  from  Pembina,  and  the 
old  Selkirk  settlement,  formerly  so  called — now  the  state  of 
Assiniboin  (pronounced  Assin-i-bAvaw),  and  even  from  old  Fort 
York,  on  Hudson  bay,  together  with  the  people  of  Minnesota, 
generally,  had  congregated  in  St.  Paul,  for  the  twofold  pur- 
pose of  celebrating  the  centennial  anniversary  of  American 
Indepci  dence,  and  to  witness  as  well  the  opening  of  the  great 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  railway,  from  Boston,  New  York,  and 
Philadelphia,  via  St.  Paul,  to  Oregon  and  California,  its  ter- 
minus being  San  Francisco. 

In  connection  with  all  this  was  the  first  despatch,  to  be  sent 
in  words  of  living  fire,  upon  that  day,  along  the  wires  of  the 
Great  Britain  submarine,  and  North  American  telegraph  line, 
from  London,  via  the  states,  to  San  Francisco. 

The  full  time  for  the  consummation  of  a  mighty  ai.d  glorious 
event  had  finally  arrived,  which  for  twenty  years  had  been 


:ii 


I 

246 


MINNESOTA   AND   ITS   RESOUHCra. 


anxiously  looked  for,  liopcd  for,  Kigliod  for,  ny  died  for!  Tlio 
lumr  was  iionr  at  linnd,iu  wliidi  the  most  sanguine  expectations 
and  lonj^-clierislied  desires  of  the  civilized  world  were  about 
to  be  conijdetely  realized  ;  and  a  great  '*  national  highwry," 
for  travel  and  conimercc,  as  well  as  for  thought  and  intelli- 
gence, opened  and  established  from  the  rising  to  the  setting 
sun.  More  especially  was  it  a  consummation  which  Minnesota, 
since  the  hour  when  her  first  constitution  had  been  given  her, 
the  third  of  March,  1849,  had  long  devoutly  wished.  The 
ratification  of  the  Sioux  treaties  in  18o2,  and  the  formation  ot 
other  treaties  in  1860,  which  extinguished  the  Sioux  and 
Chippewa  titles  to  all  the  land  within  her  limits,  from  the 
Missouri  on  the  west  to  the  old  boundary  of  forty-nine  degrees 
to  the  north,  had  also  been  events  of  considerable  magnitude 
in  their  day,  and  aftbrded  great  joy  to  youthful  Minnesota. 
But  the  great  enterprise  was  now  completed,  and  never  in  all 
her  history,  save  at  the  incorporation  of  the  •*  Republic  of 
Mexico"  into  the  American  Union,  some  ten  years  previous, 
or  the  annexation  rf  "Canada  and  Cuba,"  which  happened 
some  five  years  before,  St.  Paul  had  never  seen  such  a  day 
of  rejoicing. 

The  sun  had  scarcely  reached  the  zenith,  when  the  roar 
of  the  cannon,  the  sojiuls  of  martial  music,  and  the  approach 
of  an  immense  procession,  with  banners  floating  to  the  breeze, 
attracted  my  attention  far  up  the  river  to  the  southwest.  I 
tin-ned,  and  beheld  a  scene  which  for  a  moment  rendered  nie 
almost  delirious  with  excitement.  "When  I  recovered  myself, 
the  pageant  had  approached  so  near,  passing  immediately  in 
full  view  of  the  eminence  on  which  I  lay,  as  to  enable  me  par- 
ticularly to  survey  what  I  shall  now  attempt  to  describe. 

Spanning  the  mighty  Mississippi,  juut  above  Wabashaw 
street,  was  a  splendid  suspension  bridge,  with  a  pier  upon  tlie 
sandy  island  in  the  stream,  and  a  magnificent  arch  on  either 
side.  Frona  Mendota  (now  a  town  stretching  its  summit  up 
around  Pilot  Knob),  down  along  the  bluffs  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river,  was  the  great  railway  ;  extending  across  the 
river  by  a  double  track  ^me  twenty  feet  apart,  and  thence, 


CONCLUSION  —  A   VISION. 


247 


tliron{»]iout  our  own  St.  Paul,  away  off  to  the  Boutheast  toward 
tlie  Atlantic  sealoard. 

Bupportod  on  each  liand  by  an  immense  encort,  composed 
of  our  cnlirc  pojyilatitm,  came  the  "  first  train  of  cars  from  San 
Francisco,"  the  departure  of  which  had  been  announced  here 
by  ttdt'graph  a  short  time  previous. 

First  came  an  open  car,  or  platform,  extending  across  from 
one  track  to  the  other,  richly  draped  and  ornamented  with 
banners,  and  containing  a  band  of  fifty  musicians,  who  played 
"  Jlaif  Co/umhia."  Next  came  two  splendid  locomotives,  one 
on  either  track,  moving  abreast.  On  the  one  upon  the  right, 
I  road  **  Atlantic;"  on  that  upon  the  left,  "Pacific."  Over 
these,  extending  across  from  track  to  track,  and  for  three  hun- 
dred feet  in  the  rear,  was  a  continuous  platform,  supported 
on  wheels,  covered  with  rich  and  gorgeous  tapestry,  forming 
upon  the  most  magnificent  scale  "  a  grand  triimiphal  car." 
Immediately  in  front,  on  the  right  and  left  of  this  platform, 
arose  two  columns  of  beautiful  proportions,  about  thirty  feet 
in  height,  and  of  alabaster  whiteness.  On  the  one  I  read 
"  The  Unim ;"  on  the  other,  "  The  Cumtitution."  From  the 
tops  of  these  columns,  the  intervening  space  was  spanned  by 
an  arch,  composed  of  the  "  coat  of  arms"  of  the  several  states 
of  the  Union,  carved  in  bas-relief  on  separate  blocks  of  marble  ; 
and  upon  the  keystone  of  the  arch,  I  read  the  familiar  motto, 
**  E  P/u/ibus  Unum."  On  this  point  perched  an  immense 
spread  eagle,  glittering  with  gold,  and  holding  in  his  beak  a 
likeness  of  "The  Father  of  his  Country,"  in  a  plain  gold 
setting,  enwreatlied  with  laurel ;  while  high  above,  and  over 
all,  iloated  the  "  star-spangled  banner."  Immediately  under 
the  arch  was  an  altar  of  pure  white,  upon  which  I  read  "  Free- 
dom," and  from  the  top  of  the  altar  arose  a  square  shaft  of 
white,  some  four  or  five  feet  in  height,  and  on  the  several  sides 
of  which  I  read,  "Peace,  Prosperity,  Happiness,"  "Truth, 
Justice,  Equality,"  "  Education,  Arts,  Commerce,"  "  Agri- 
culture, Manufactures,  Mines."  On  the  top  of  this  shaft  rested 
a  vase  of  pure  gold,  bearing  the  inscription,  "  California  and 
Minnesota,  the  twin  sisters,  are  this  day  indissolubly  bound 
together  by  an  iron  band."     In  this  was  contained  water  from 


ill 


ri 


M 


f 

it 


2  IS 


MrNNKSOTA    AM)    MS    HKSOf  ucrs. 


tlio   raclfie  o('(>aii.     On  oiilicr  sMn  of  tliis  sloo«l  a  lipantlful 
vnmin;  woinnii,  in  tlu«  Moom  cl'  licaltli,  dn'sscd  in  nniHlin  rol.oH 


of  mowy  >vliitcncHH,  tiininuMl    witli    m,l,l    and 


cvcigiiMMiH,  and 


\ 


Ix'arinj,^  appn.idiatiMMnldcniH,  tvpical  off  lie  pcnins  of"  I'racMi' 
nnd  ••  ConinuMcc."  Ininicdiahdy  in  (lie  n«ar  of  tliowo  a  fi;;ino, 
r»«|>ros('ntin{;  Nrptiino  with  Ihh  tiidt-nt,  wnn  standinj;  in  a  rich 
nnd  pn-^'oons  tdiariof  drawn  hy  dididiins;  and  falliiifj;  from 
(lie  rear  of  i\w  chariot,  and  Hlrovvn  over  tho  entire  Inijjftli  of 
tho  groat  platform,  were  shells  and  prcclouH  Htoncs,  and  gold 
and  silver  ores. 

This  was  to  typify  that  our  advancement  in  the  arts  and  Rci- 
ences  had  induced  even  the  "god  of  the  ocean"  to  forsake  liiH 
native  element,  and,  availing  himself  of  human  skill,  to  tako 
the  overland  rout'^  from  one  part  of  liis  dominions  to  another; 
and,  further,  (hat  the  commerce  of  the  seas  Avouhl  liencefor- 
Avard  take  this  route;  while  the  shells  and  j)recionH  stones  fal- 
ling from  his  chariot  seemed  to  remind  us  that  this  great  un- 
dertaking was  destined  to  be  literally  paved  with  the  riches 
of  the  deep. 

Immediately  in  the  rear  of  this  group,  arranged  on  either 
side   of  the   platform,  ivere  separate   jiedestala,  four  feet  six 
inches  in  height  hy  three  i'vvt  s(juare,  j. laced  at  a  distance  of 
nearly  six  feet  apart,  ami  extending  in  parallel  rows  over  two 
hundred  feet  in  the  rear.    These  j)edestals  were  lifty  in  Tunuher, 
twenty-five   on    either   hand,  and    were   emldematical   of  the 
"fifty  free  and   independent  tstates  of  the  American    Union," 
wliich   included   the  Canadas  on   the  iiorth   to  the   isthmus  of 
Darien  on  the   south,  and  from  Cuha  in  the  southeast  to  the 
llnssian  settlements  in  the  northwest,  from  the  equator  to  the 
fr.-/en  regions.     Upon  each  of  tliose  pedestals  I  read  the  name 
<'ra  state;  and  on  the  tops,  standing  erect,  were  fifty  beautiful 
young  women,  between  iho,  ages  of  eighteen  and  twenty  years, 
in    the  full   bloom   of  health    and    womanhood.     These  were 
dressed  in  flowing  drapery  of  white,  adorned  with  roses,  and 
on  tlie  head  each  wore  a  crimson-velvet  cap,  ornamented  with 
a  single  star  of  gold.     Each  Ixu-e  an  emblem  (vegetable,  niin- 
oral,  or  artificial)  (.f  lier  particular  state,  while  an  endless  chain 
of  roses  and  orange-flow(>rs,  in  graceful  festoons,  extended  from 


a*^ 


iM'imtifiil 
illii  rol)(>n 
iMUiH,  and 
••  iVnc«" 

ill  ft  rich 
iii^j:   from 

llMl^tll  of 

nnd  ^(>l(l 

1  nnd  fici- 
iHnkc  lii8 
1.  to  tako 
nnotlicr; 
liciK'ofor- 
toiics  fal- 
great  uii- 
le  riches 

>n  cither 

f'oct    81 X 

itancc  of 
o\('r  two 
miuihcr, 
I   of  the 
Union." 
hiniis  of 
st  to  tlio 
>!'  to  the 
lio  name 
)oautifiil 
y  years, 
se   wore 
SOS,  and 
ed  with 
le,  miii- 
?.s  chain 
ed  from 


liaiid  to  hftnd,  njid 


CONCMTHIONf A    VIHKIN. 

wftK  crnhlonintical  ui'  the 


249 


otTimon  intcrcRtfl 
wliu-li  unite  UH  fts  ft  iMM.jdo.  The  l.hie  v.yoH  nxu]  fair  corn- 
ph'xioiiH  of  the  north  in  union,  though  in  contraHt,  with  the 
dark  vyvn  nud  olive  coinj)Uixi<.nH  of  the  Month.  Immediately 
in  the  rear  of  thoHe,  and  occupy inp;  the  remaining  portion  of 
the  "car  triumphal."  was  the  president  of  the  United  States, 
liiniself  ft  citizen  of  Minnesota,  memhers  of  the  cabinet  ftiul 
heads  of  departments,  deputations  of  memhers  from  both  houses 
of  Congress,  foreign  ministers  resident  at  Washington,  execu- 
tive ofliccrs  of  several  of  tlio  Pacific  states  (all  returning  from 
nn  excursion  trip  from  Washington  to  San  Francisco);  nnd 
lastly  came  a  delegation  of  aborigines,  consisting  of  the  chiefs 
ftud  headmen  of  the  nations  of  the  plains.  'J'hen  came  ftnothor 
detached  car,  similar  to  that  described  in  the  first  instance, 
containing  a  band  of  fifty  musicians,  playing  the  "  Star-span- 
gled lianner." 

Thus  appointed  and  arranged,  the  train  arrived  opposite  to 
the  business  centre  of  the  city,  advanced  uj)on  the  bridge,  and 
halted.  Then  a  Christian  minister  (the  Rev.  E.  D.  Nidll,  I 
think),  accompanied  by  the  president  and  secretary  of  stftte, 
with  heftds  uncovered,  i)rocecdc(l  from  the  extreme  rear  through 
the  long  avenue  of  young  women  representing  the  several 
states ;  and  as  they  passed  along,  each  successive  state  stood 
with  head  uncovered,  in  token  at  once  of  their  respect  for  reli- 
gion and  their  fidelity  to  the  general  government.  This  move- 
ment served  also  as  a  signal  for  the  multitude  to  follow  suit, 
and  who  accordingly  acquiesced  during  the  following  ceremo- 
nies : — 

Arrived  in  front  of  the  triumphal  arch,  the  minister  briefly 
invoked  the  blessings  of  Jehovah  upon  the  great  enterprise 
before  them,  and  for  the  welfare  of  the  country  at  large.  He 
then  stepped  aside,  and  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  nation  hav- 
ing closed  the  discoursive  part  of  the  ceremonies  with  a  few 
appropriate  remarks,  a  signal  was  given,  whereupon  the  sisters 
"  Peace"  and  "  Commerce"  gracefully  inverted  the  "  golden 
vase,"  and  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  ocean  were  mingled  with 
the  waters  of  the  mighty  Mississippi.  The  bay  of  San  Fran- 
cisco was  wedded  with  the  Atlantic  and  gulf  of  Mexico,  and 

U* 


2r>o 


MINNKSOTA    AND    ITS    liESOU RC i:S. 


the  bright  drops  of  the  Sacramento  were  mingled  with  and 
flowed  with  those  of  the  "Father  of  Running  Waters." 

At  that  instant  another  immense  train  arrived  in  fifty  hours 
from  New  Orleans,  sixty  from  the  Rio  Grande,  am\  fou?-  days 
from  the  city  of  Mexico.  It  contained  a  pleasure-party,  nun,- 
horing-  by  thousands.  Among  them  were  the  wealthy  planters, 
their  wives,  and  little  ones— the  dark-skinned  creole  gentle- 
men and  ladies  — together  with  the  dark-eyed  senoritas  and 
gayly-dressed  caballeros  from  the  old  halls  of  the  Montezumas. 
They  were  coming  to  spend  a  few  weeks  amidst  the  noise  and 
spray  of  the  'Little  falls,"  or  Minne-ha-ha,  and  of  our  great 
St.  Anthony.  The  eastern  train  from  Philadelphia,  New  York, 
ajid  Boston,  and  anoHier  from  Lake  Superior,  and  still  another 
from  Pembina  and  Assiuiboin,  near  Lake  Winnipeg,  also  came 
r;i tiling  in,  alive  with  human  freight  from  the  east,  the  north, 
and  northeast. 

Then  the  mighty  throng  of  assembled  thousands  raised  a  loud 
hosannah,  and  methought  the  chorus  of  their  mighty  voices  re- 
sounded adown  the  flowing  stream,  and  over  the  gulf  and  broad 
iVtIantic,  and  then  re-echoed  across  Europe's  peopled  surface 
with  redoubled  force,  till  in  the  wilds  of  Russia  it  reached  the 
last  and  only  liome  of  the  despot— the  descendant  of  the  Nicho- 
las of  lSo3  — who  had  long  since  laid  mouldering  in  a  tyrant's 
grave.     Then  did  the  heart  of  the  last  of  the  line  of  kings  and 
emperors  which  this  fair  earth  shall  ever  witness,  grow  faint 
within  him,  as  he  saw  his  inevitable  doom  portrayed  as  plain  as 
the  "  handwriting  upon  the  wall,"  and  heard  his  death-knell  pro- 
claimed in  tones  of  might  and  wrath,  which  told  him  that  an 
avenging  God  was  nigh  !     Ay,  he  listened,  while  the  pallor  cf 
death  stole  over  his  guilty  features,  and  the  craven-hearted 
usurper  of  the  rights  of  man,  eind  violator  of  all  his  Maker's 
laws,  did  tremble  for  very  fear— ay,  trembled  like  an  aspen- 
]enf,a8  he  heard  the  voices  of  the  mighty  host  exultingly  jubi- 
late on  that  "  centennial  anniversary"  of  a  nation's  birth-day 
—  the  greatest  nation,  too,  which  old  Time  and  events  liave 
yet  given  to  the  world,  its  population  now  being  sixty  millions. 
Then  rose  the  serf,  the  Cossack,  and  all  the  republicans  of 
1 -'    - J  "i*-  "o^"  nvjioes  ivyaauui  and  Mazzm*,  and 


CONCLUSION  —  A   VISION. 


251 


?entle- 


a  host  of  others,  and  struck  a  tremendous  and  final  blow  for 
freedom  —  the  goddess  of  Liberty  flitting  and  hovering  over 
the  scene — until  at  length  a  loud,  triumphant  shout  came 
ringing  back  across  the  ocean  and  gulf,  and  up  the  noble  river 
to  tiie  spot  where  the  multitudinous  host  were  still  pouring 
forth  their  anthems  of  praise  to  the  God  of  hosts — proclaim- 
ing to  them  that  the  final  victory  between  Liberty  and  Despo- 
tism had  been  fairly  won,  and  that  Tyranny  had  sunk  his  fright- 
ful head  amidst  a  perfect  cataract  of  blood.  The  prediction  of 
Napoleon  had  been  verified  in  one  sense— and,  in  1876,  all 

Europe  was  at  last  republican Louis  Napoleon  had  long 

since  sunk  into  insignificance,  oblivion,  and  contempt;  and 
poor,  unhappy  France,  now  so  no  more,  had  become  a  true 
republic. 

At  that  instant,  the  ceremonies  being  over,  amid  the  roll  of 
drums,  and  the  clangor  of  martial  music,  th.  discharge  of  mus- 
kets, the  roar  of  artillery,  and  the  deafening  huzzas  of  an  ex- 
cited and  countless  multitude  on  tho  land,  upon  the  bridge, 
and  upon  the  water  beneath  —  the  train  moved  on  toward  the 
eastern  seaboard,  and  I  aivoke  from  my  dream. 


i 

M 

fjl  p.,  ■;' 

I 

Ml 


'^'\ 


:^^ 


1 1 

I:' 


CAMP-FIRE  SKETCHES, 

OR 

NOTES  OF  A  TRIP  FROM  ST  PAUL  TO  PEMBINA  AND  SELKIRK 
SETTLEMENT  ON  THE  RED  RIVER  OF  THE  NORTH; 

TO   WHICH    ARE   APPENDED 


A  DESCRIPTION  OF  PRINCE  RUPERT'S  LAND,  ETC. 


mhi 


i      )' 


;  1 


NOTE. 

Thk  ol.ject  of  thn  rx],o<lition  nurraterl  in  the  following  pages  was  to  form  a 
treaty  with  the  Red  I,ake  and  IVmhina  bands  of  Chippewa  Indians  for  their 
ronntry  lying  in  the  valley  of  the  Red  river  of  the  North,  and  south  of  the 
British  lii.e.  Gov,>,.,ur  Rinnsey  was  apj-ointe.!  commissioner  to  treat  with 
them,  and  Dr.  Tliomas  Foster  appointed  secretary.  The  treaty  was  foimed, 
but  wa*  afterward  rejected  by  the  United  States  senate.  " 


SKETCHES  BY  A  CAMP-FIRE. 


CHAPTER   I. 


THE    OUTWARD    MARCH. 


Our  party  consisteJ  of  the  following  persons,  viz. :  Governor 
Ramsey,  Hugh  Tyler,  Dr.  Foster,  Rev.  John  Black,  of  Mon- 
treal, J.  M.  Lord,  F.  Brown,  Pierre  Bottineau,  Joseph  Course- 
role,  and  myself.  Our  escort  consisted  of  twenty-five  dragoons 
from  Fort  Snelling,  commanded  hy  Lieutenant  Corley,  and  ac- 
companied hy  six  two-horse  baggage-wagons ;  our  own  bag- 
gage and  provisions  being  carried  on  light  Red-river  carts, 
with  eight  French-Canadian  and  half-breed  drivers.  In  num- 
ber we  comprised  about  fifty  souls  in  all. 

A  portion  of  the  civil  party  took  the  steamboat  '•  Governor 
Ramsey,"  at  St.  Anthony,  on  Monday,  August  18,  1851,  and 
proceeded  to  the  Thousand  isles,  below  Sauk  rapids,  where  the 
balance  of  the  party,  with  the  horses,  carts,  and  a  light  riding- 
wagon,  awaited  their  arrival.  After  uniting,  we  all  proceeded 
on  to  Russell's,  above  Sauk  rapids,  and  on  Wednesday  crossed 
the  Mississippi,  and  camped  the  first  night  about  two  miles 
west,  in  the  Sauk  river  valley. 

Thursday,  2l8t.  —  Fine,  clear,  cool  day.  Wo  struck  tents 
and  were  away  early ;  rode  fifteen  miles  over  prairie,  and 
along  the  valley  of  Sauk  river,  bordered  on  either  side  with 
thick  woods,  and  interspersed  here  and  there  with  strips  of 


256 


SKETCHES   BY    A    CAMP-FIRE. 


''    1  'I 


woodland  and  a  thick  undergrowth  of  bushes.  Then  passed 
oyer  tlic  worst  piece  of  road  between  Sauk  rapids  and  Pem- 
bina. The  dragoons  were  busy  for  several  hours  in  repairing 
it  for  the  passage  of  the  teams.  It  was  a  piece  of  swamp-land, 
about  fifty  yards  in  width,  and  covered  by  a  bad  "  corduroy'' 
road.  '^ 

Three,  P.  M.~  Proceeded  on  three  miles,  and  found  the 
dragoons  encamped  for  the  night  at  another  bad  crossing  of 
swamp-land,  near  a  creek.  It  took  them  several  hours  to  re- 
pair^ it  with  bushes,  grass,  &c.  Encamped  near  by  also,  to 
await  oar  turn  to-morrow.  Our  march  to-day  was  eighteen 
miles. 

Friday,  August  22.— Clear,  cool,  and  pleasant.  The  weath- 
er  is  now  delightful— the  sun  quite  hot  at  noonday,  and  the 
nights  cool  and  bracing.  Up  at  daylight,  and  away  on  our 
march  at  seven,  A.  M.     The  dragoons  off  before  us. 

After  proceeding  two  miles,  we  crossed  Sauk  river,  passing 
over  to  the  southwest  side.     We  found  a  good  ford,  about  four 
feet  deep,  the  bottom  being  gravelly  with  a  few  boulders.     The 
hills  are  very  high,  and  skirted  with  heavy  timber,  on  the 
right  bank.     We  then  emerged  on  to  a  beautiful  rolling  prairie, 
extending  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach ;  bordered  by  timber' 
stretching  in  belts  on  either  side ;  that  to  the  right  bordering 
on  Sauk  river,  and  bearing  away  off  to  the  northwest.     We 
soon  came  to  a  swampy  place,  where  the  dragoons  mired  their 
horses.     Grass  was  then  mowed,  a  causeway  made,  the  horses 
crossed  on  it,  and  the  heavy  teams  drawn  over  by  ropes.    We 
soon  after  discovered  a  he-bear,  « loping"  off  over  the  prairie 
at  full  speed.     Several  of  us  gave  chase  at  once,  and  after  pur- 
suing him  through  swamps  and  marshes  for  half  an  hour,  and 
wounding  him  severely,  the  dragoons  came  up,  surrounded 
him    and  finished  the  job  by  killing  him  with  pistol-balls, 
ly ler,  m  a  two-horse  wagon,  joined  us  in  the  chase,  and  came 
m  just  at  the  death. 

We  halted  at  noon,  and  took  a  cold  bite  and  a  cup  of  tea. 
In  the  afternoon  we  rode  ou  some  twelve  miles  farmer,  and 
encamped  in  some  brush  and  timber,  where  the  water  was  bad 
and  mosquitoes  worse.     The  country  passed  over  to-day  was 


TTIK    oriWARD   MARCn. 


267 


5n  passed 
and  Pem- 
repairiug 
imp-land, 
iorduroy" 

oiind  the 
)S8ing  of 
urs  to  re- 
^  also,  to 
eighteen 

16  weath- 
.  and  the 
7  on  our 

,  passing 
30ut  four 
•s.     The 
»  on  the 
J  prairie, 
'  timber, 
ordering 
St.     We 
ed  their 
e  horses 
5S.    We 
prairie 
■ter  pur- 
)ur,  and 
'ounded 
ol-balls. 
d  came 

of  tea. 
er,  and 
'^as  bad 
ay  was 


rolling  prairie,  thickly  interspersed  with  marshes  and  small, 
sluggish  streams,  the  ground  ascending  for  fifteen  miles,  then 
descending  to  the  camp  five  miles.  We  found  it  a  very  hard 
march,  with  the  bear-chase,  the  bad  roads,  and  much  detention 
in  passing  ovor  the  swamps  and  marshes. 

Saturday,  23d.  —  Fine,  clear  morning.  Up,  as  usual,  at  day- 
light; breakfasted  on  tea  and  herring,  and  supped  last  night 
on  herring  and  tea — rather  hard  living.  Dr.  Foster,  on  being 
asked  at  noon  yesterday  if  he  would  have  a  piece  of  the  neck 
of  a  cold  goose,  replied,  "  Yes,  sir-ee,  it  is  neck  or  nothing — of 
course  I  will !"  We  to-day  rode  over  the  rolling  prairie,  full 
of  strips  of  marsh,  when,  after  a  march  of  ten  miles,  we  came 
to  an  almost  impassable  swamp.  We  crossed  with  some  diffi- 
culty, by  pulling  the  carts  and  horses  across  by  ropes,  during 
which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Black  and  I  completely  mired  our  ponies, 
and  canie  near  going  with  them  to  the  bottom,  if  there  was 
any.  After  this,  we  took  a  cup  of  tea  to  refresh  ourselves ; 
proceeded  on  twelve  miles  farther,  then  encamped  on  the  banks 
of  a  lake,  where  we  had  fine  spring- water,  and  altogether  the 
])est  camping-place  we  have  yet  had,  the  situation  and  scenery 
around  being  very  beautiful.  The  carts  arrived  at  sunset ;  we 
then  erected  tents,  cooked  and  ate  supper  after  night,  amid 
hosts  of  mosquitoes,  Avhich  were  finally  driven  off  by  a  strong 
southwest  breeze. 

SuxXDAv,  24t]i. — Cloudy  and  cool,  with  rain  in  the  morning, 
with  thunder  and  lightning.  All  hands  busy  fixing  tents  moi-o 
securely,  digging  trenches  around  to  drain  off  the  falling  water, 
&c.  Being  Sunday,  we  remained  in  camp  all  day.  Last  night 
four  of  our  horses  broke  their  lariats  and  ran  homeward  at 
the  top  of  their  speed,  but  were  caught,  most  fortunately  for 
us,  by  the  dragoons,  at  their  camp  twelve  miles  behind  us, 
Ilail  they  not  been  there,  we  should  have  been  obliged  to 
have  folloAved  the  beasts  clear  back  to  Sauk  rapids,  ere  we 
could  have  overtaken  them. 

To-day,  our  French-Canadians  and  half-breeds,  who  have 
charge  of  the  provision  and  baggage-carts,  have  been  shooting 
pigeons,  ducks,  &c.,  also  makinir  new  cart-axlfs;  and  the 
day  has  not  seemed  much  like  Sunday.     Yesterday  afternoon, 


258 


SKETCHES   BY   A  OAMP-FIBE. 


II'  J^ 


i'  'I  ■• 


I  ? 


It 

f 


^Inlc  several  of  us  were  riding  on  ahead,  we  started  „„  , 
k.  „1<  a  „ng  the  road,  and  immediately  gave  cl.ase,  when 
sncl,  shy.ng  and  dodging,  ,o  keep  to  windward  of  the  heart 
was  never  seen  before.  We  nearly  rolled  off  our  horses  lith 
laughter  Now  ean,e  the  doctor,  sidling  up  very  cautiously, 
and  fired  two  shots  with  a  revolver,  then  beat  a  precipitafe 
re  reat  as  the  skunk  fired  at  hi..  Lord  then  pranced  up  on 
B.lly.  and  fired  one  shot  at  the  spot  where  it  smelt  the  loudest 
then  urned  ta,l,  too,  and  fled.  Gabon  finally  despatched  the 
varmint  with  a  tomahawk. 

MoNDAV,  25th.-Up  and  away  early;  once  more  upon  the 
road  ;  had  a  very. fine  ride  of  about  fourteen  miles  to  ',  bite 
Bear  lake,  as  it  is  called,  from  the  fact  of  white  bear  be' 
i..g  so  plenty,  perhaps.  This  is  a  teautiful  lake,  eight  miles 
long  and  severa  wide;  the  banks  of  woodland  and  roi  in! 
pra  r,e.  We  halted  on  the  north  shore,  about  one  mile  dis 
tant,  for  several  hours.  Dined  on  roast  skunk  (not  the  one 
«:  k  r   ^„'"--''7'  "-g"')'  d-ks,  and  prairilhens,  ham 

ro  it  ;  •   r'       "".  P"'^'  "'"  '^'y  *'"»'>  °f  «knnk,  either 

oasted,  fried   or  stewed,  and  attribute  the  peculiar  smell  of 

the  meat  to  the  fact  that  the  animal  lives  on  garlic-a,very 

garlicky  explanation !  ^      ' 

In  tlie  afternoon  we  rode  to  Pike  lake,  twelve  miles  farther' 
wc  reached  it  at  sundown,  and  found  a  very  beautiful  spot,  in^ 
deed,  and  heavily  vooded  around  a  portion  of  its  banks.    The 

nke  IS  full  of  Pike  fish,  hence  its  name,  which  was  given  to  it 
l.y  Captain  Pope.     The  dragoons  are  encamped  quife  near  us, 

.avmg  been  ahead  all  day.     Mosquitoes  are  very  had,  aC 
though  the  weather  is  quite  cold  and  bracing.     The  conntry 
passed  over  to-day  was  a  rolling  prair.e,  with  small  streams 
of  water  running  through  the  ravines ;  all  of  which  are  tribu- 
tary  to  the  Minnesota.     To-night  our  carts  failed  to  reach  us, 
and  remained  about  four  miles  behind.     Fortunately,  BrowJ 
came  riding  up  at  dark  and  informed  us  of  the  fact,  and  also 
brought  two  wild  geese  and  some  prairie-hens  along.     The 
atter  and  one  goose  were  roasted,  as  we  sat  huddling  round 
the  fires  (for  the  evening  air  was  cold),  and  were  devoured 
witu  great  gusto;  a  little  boiled  ham,  salt,  and  hard  bread"; 


THE   OUTWARD   MARCH. 


259 


were  obtained  from  the  dragoons,  which  added  additional 
zest  to  tlie  camp-fire  meal.  Some  of  us  tlien  betook  ourselves 
to  tlic  dragoon  camp,  and  slept  in  tents;  the  rest  disposed 
themselves  around  the  fire,  and  in  the  carriage,  and  so  passed 
the  night.  Dr.  Foster,  for  one,  half  frozen.  And  this  is  life 
upon  the  prairie ;  riglit  ready  and  willing  are  we  to  make  the 
best  of  everytliing,  and  suit  ourselves  to  circumstances. 

Tuesday,  26th.— Up  early  and  breakfasted  with  the  dra- 
goons, on  a  cup  of  coffee  and  piece  of  hard  bread.  The  morn- 
ing very  cold  for  the  season.  Overcoats  necessary,  and  all 
hands  sitting  around  the  fires.  Wind  east,  and  very  fresh  ;  a 
fine,  bracing  morning,  the  best  for  travelling  we  have  yet  had. 
Tho  carts  soon  arrived  and  passed  on  ahead,  and  at  eight, 
A.  M.,  we  follov  ed,  and  after  a  fine  ride  of  ten  miles,  we 
arrived  at  Elk  lake,  and  stopped  to  feed  and  dine  upon 
the  prettiest  spot  we  have  yet  seen.  It  was  upon  the 
western  bank  of  the  lake,  upon  a  knoll,  high  above  the 
Avater,  the  banks  of  the  lake  being  high  and  covered 
with  a  skirt  of  woodland ;  the  waters,  agitated  by  a  strong 
breeze,  rolling  wildly  below.  This  lake  is  some  two  miles 
long,  and  full  of  headlands,  and  small  isles  all  heavily  tim- 
bered. A  most  charming  spot  for  a  residence  when  the  coun- 
try becomes  once  settled ;  at  present  the  whole  place  is  wild 
and  beautiful.  Since  writing  the  above,  the  rest  of  our  party 
have  arrived,  and  I  find  it  is  not  "  Elk"  lake,  but  one  new  to 
all  the  party,  and  to  us  nameless.  Governor  Ramsey,  there- 
fore, called  it  Lake  Fillmore,  in  honor  of  the  president ;  quite 
a  -.ompliment,  too,  by-the-by,  considering  that  it  is  much  the 
finest  of  the  kind  we  have  yet  seen.  We  had  a  very  good 
dinner  to-day,  consisting  of  bouillon,  made  of  geese,  ducks,  (fee., 
with  ham,  pork,  coffee,  bread  and  butter,  &c.  This  afternoon 
we  pursued  a  very  circuitous  road  t>ver  a  more  rough  and  rol- 
ling country  than  we  have  yet  passed,  broken  by  deep  ravines 
and  full  of  lakes,  ponds,  &c.  Some  of  the  lakes  were  very 
beautiful ;  our  road  passed  over  the  outlet  of  one  of  them  at 
its  mouth,  where  it  poured  over  the  rocky  bottom  and  formed 
a  creek  thirty  feet  in  width.  At  sundown  we  reached  the 
banks  of  a  large  creek,  or  perhaps  of  the  Chippewa  river,  and 


2(10 


BKKTCHF8   BY    A.    CAMP-FIRE. 


m 


J    i 


,  ■''! 


i'<l 


In 


after  crossinp^  fo,„ul  tl,e  drnf^oons  encaniperl  on  the  open 
prairie,  („,  tlie  westeni  Imnk.  We  al^o  campeil  iK^ar  them, 
and  lu.d  wood  iuid  good  w/itcr  i)lenty.  Our  n.arcli  to-day 
was  about  twenty  inilcB,  tlioufth  so  circuitous  tliai  T  doubt  if 
Ave  made  more  than  ten  mi!.  ^  ,  i»  un;  regular  course.  Tlie  stream 
ui)on  which  we  are  encnn.ppfl  is  a  very  rapid  one,  and  flows 
over  a  rocky  bed  of  boulders. 

Wednesday,  27th.— Cool,  cloudy,  and  quite  c(dd  early  in 
the  morning;  fine  weather  for  travelling.     Up  at  daylight, 
and  away  upon  our  march  at  half-past  five,  one  hour  earlier 
than  our  earliest  start  heretofore.     Kode  about  ten  miles  over 
an  elevated  prairie,  full,  as  usual,  of  lakes  and  ponds;  crossed 
a  stream  about  sixty  feet  in  width  ^Potato  river),  and  stopped 
for  our  dinner  on  the  banks  of  a  fine  lake,  partly  wooded  on 
its  shores,  with  a  gravel  bottom.     After  a  rest  of  several  hours 
we  proceeded  on  five  miles,  and  found  the  dragoons  encamped 
on  the  bank  of  another  fine  lake,  the  shores  well  wooded.    As 
it  was  but  four,  P.  M.,  we  pressed  on  some  five  miles  farther,  ma- 
king^ twenty  -five  miles  march  to-day  ;   then  camped  on  the 
pranie  ;  no  wood  in  sight ;  carried  enough  on  the  carts  for  the 
getting  of  supper  and  breakfast.     A  pond  full  of  dirty,  dark 
grass  was  near  by,  out  of  which  we  got  our  water.     Two  of 
our  party  brought  in  a  large  quantity  of  geese,  ducks,  and 
pranie  fowls,  to  the  camp,  to-night.     Indeed,  wild  game  of  the 
feathered  kind  is  getting  to  be  a  drug  upon  our  hands,  as  we 
get  more  daily  than  we  can  use.     The  country  we  passed  over 
to-day  was  an  elevated  plain  for  the  most  part,  with  less  wood- 
land and  fewer  lakes,  and  the  growth  more  even  and  of  a 
poorer  quality  than  that  below.     We  are  now  passing  on  to 
the  dividing  ridge  between  the  head  waters  of  the  lied,  Min- 
nesota, and  Mississippi  rivers. 

Thursday,  28th.-~Cloudy  and  cold  in  the  morning;  very 
unpleasant,  with  slight  rain;  warmer  in  the  afternoon,  with 
thunder  and  lightning.  Wind  southeast  to  southwest.  Up 
at  daylight,  and  upon  our  march  at  six,  A.  M.  Eode  some  ten 
miles  over  a  flat,  dry,  and  very  uninteresting  country,  destitute 
of  lakes,  and  the  grass  dry  and  in  some  places  alreadv  burned 
off,  with  stagnant  ponds  and  a  sluggish  creek,  at  which  we 


I 


Till-:   (H  TVVAUD   MARCH. 


261 


stopped  to  iliiio,.  \Vc  ooulfl  procure  no  wood,  save  wliat  we 
carried  witli  uh,  and  the  water  was  also  very  bad.  At  noon 
we  started  on  again;  the  country  continued  bare  and  Hat, 
with  no  tinil)er  in  sight,  till  we  ap])roached  the  Sioux  Wood 
river,  where  we  arrived  at  four,  IM\f.,  after  a  march  of  twenty 
niiU>s,  and  one  hundred  and  forty  frorn  Sauk  rapids. 

The  Buis  des  Sioux  is  a  stream  about  thirty  miles  in  length, 
and  floM»  from  Lac  1'ravorse  into  Red  river,  hy  a  course  due 
north.  "VVc  crossed  about  four  miles  above  its  mouth,  whore  it 
was  fifty  yards  in  width,  and  four  and  a  half  feet  deep,  its 
course  being  very  crooked.  We  camped  on  its  bank,  along- 
side the  dragoons,  all  hurry  and  bustle  in  the  midst  of  a  gust; 
supped  on  soup  made  of  two  wild  geese,  with  onions,  potatoes, 
and  condiments  ;  called  bouillon  by  the  half-breeds.  At  ten, 
P.  M.,  a  very  hopvy  storm  of  thunder  and  lightning  came  up 
suddenly  from  the  southwest.  The  rain  descended  in  torrents, 
the  winds  blew,  thunders  roared,  lightning  flashed,  the  tent 
flies  snnpped,  flapped,  and  cracked  ;  the  water  rolled  in  under 
our  oil-cloth  floor,  while  we  remained  all  safe  and  dry  and 
went  to  sleep  amid  the  r.iging  and  roaring  of  the  tempest. 

Friday,  29tb. — Cloudy  and  very  damp  early  in  the  morn- 
ing; cleared  up  about  ten  o'clock;  fine,  cool,  and  pleasant, 
with  a  good  breeze  from  the  north.  The  troops  having  made 
a  raft  yestenlay  afternoon,  they  began  to  cross  early  this 
morning,  rafting  over  their  goods,  and  drawing  the  wagons 
over  with  ropes;  swimming  and  wading  f  e  horses  over  at 
two  diff"erent  ford;^,  about  one  hundred  and  'ifty  yards  ai)art. 
They  were  all  over  at  half-past  ten  o'clock,  and  then  came 
our  turn  ;  all  our  goods,  provisions,  baggage,  &c.,  were  turned 
out  on  the  grfu  to  dry,  which  opportunity  I  availed  myself 
of  to  examine  .md  take  a  list  of  all.  The  carts  were  dra^vn 
over  by  ropes,  the  goous  taken  over  on  the  raft,  and  the  horses 
swam  across  all  at  the  lower  and  deeper  ford.  After  all  was 
again  repacked  we  started  at  two,  P.  M.,  and  after  pursuing  a 
northwest  course  about  eight  miles,  over  a  flat,  marshy 
prairie,  Ave  crossed  over  the  Wild  Rice  river  on  a  rustic  bridge 
id  camped   on   the   other  ^Ide,  near  the 


'gs, 


Jgoons, 


whom  we  found  already  there  and  comfortably  fixed.     The 


262 


8K10TCI1K8    BY    A    CAMl'-FIKE. 


!i  h  ' 


f  'i 


Wild  Rice  is  a  narrow  and  very  crooked  stream,  with  hid, 
banks,   and    rosen.bles  a  deep   ditcl.    of  dirty   water.      It  i^ 
fikirtcd   with   woodland  at   intervals.     We  are  now  three  or 
four  miles  down  Ucd  river,  below  the  mouth  of  the  Sioux 
wood,  above  which  it  takes  the  name  of  Ottertail  riv<'r.     Our 
distance  from  lied  river,  to  the  west,  is  some  tlireo  miles  ;  the 
woods  bordering  its  hanks  being  visible  during  our  ride'  this 
afternoon.     Our  whole  journey  to-day  has  not  exceeded  ten 
iniles;  to-morrow,  we  have  a  march  of  twenty-five  miles  to 
the  Shayenne,  which  we  cross  thirty  miles  above  its  mouth  • 
and  1  am  told  that  we  will  not  see  Ked  river  until  our  arri\,ii 
at  rcmhina,  as  our  road  skirts  along  the  high  ground  on  the 
western  slope  of  the  valley,  distant  on  an  average  some  thirty 
to  torty  miles.     This  detour  is  necessary  to  avoid  the  marshes 
swamps  and  bad  places  along  the  bed  of  the  valley  and  nearer 
to  the  river. 

Saturday,  30th.~A  fine,  clear,  warm,  day  —  the  finest  we 
have  yet  had.     This  morning  a  false  alarm  raised  all  the  camp 
at  half-past  one  o'clock;  a  fire  was  made,  the  kettle  put  on 
water  boiled  and  after  putting  the  tea  to  draw,  we  all  returned 
to  bed  again,  determined  that  nothing  should  "  draw"  us  out 
again  till  morning.      Our  road  to-day  lay  over  a  flat  and 
marshy  prairie,  with  no   lakes  or  streams,  the  woods   along 
Red  river  alone  being  visible,  away  oflP  to  the  right.     At  noon 
we  halted   at  a  stagnant  pool  of  dirty  water,  cut  down  two 
small  dead  poplars  (all  the  timber  we  could  find),  boiled  our 
coffee  and  had  a  cold  bite  for  dinner.     The  sun  was  very  hot 
huge  bottle-flies  and  gnats  very  bad,  and  our  horses  most  used 
up.     At  three  this  afternoon  we  started  on  again,  and  rode 
twelve  miles,  to  the  Shayenne,  that  is,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Black  and 
I,  who  ride  together.     Here  we  found  the  dragoons  encamped 
on  the  top  of  the  steep  wooded  bank,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Shayenne;  the  turbid,  narrow,  river  rolling  rapidly  about  two 
hundred  feet  below,  and  a  vast  expanse  of  rolling  prairie  away 
off  to  the  north  on  the  other  side.     The  country  passed  over  this 
afternoon  was  a  level,  marshy  prairie  for  the  most  part,  with 
sand-hill  knolls  like  mounds,  and  excavations  as  though  done 
I. J  -..„«,  at  xxxtcxvaio.     A«  wc  approached  within  six  miles  of 


THE  OUTWARD   MAROir. 


263 


the  Slmycnno,  the  timber  in  groves  became  more  abundant, 
with  rolling  prairie,  hills,  mounds,  and  valleys  leading  us  to 
Huj)poHO  wo  were  immediately  on  its    banks.     The  dragoons 
were  deceived  in  common  with  the  rest  of  us  and  thus  led  some 
ten  miles  beyond  their  umial  march ;    making  a  distance  of 
thirty  miles.     At  their  camp  we  found  Dr.  Foster  and  a  friend, 
who  had  rode  on  at  noon  in  search  of  the  Shayenne.     After 
partaking  of  a  good  supper  in  Lieutenant  Corley's  tent,  and 
waiting  till  nine  o'clock  for  the  arrival  of  our  carts  and  balance 
of  the  party,  the  Rev.  Mv.  Black  and  I  re-caught  our  horses, 
and  rode  back  by  the  light  of  the  new  moon,  in  search  of  the 
stray  wanderers ;  after  a  ride  of  some  two  miles  we  came  in 
sight  of  their  camp-fire,  to  our  great  joy,  and  soon  came  to  the 
camp,  at  ten,  P.  M.;  the  tents  were  pitclied  on  the  opeiuprairie, 
just  on  the  side  of  a  swamp,  where  the  water  was  prett  •  good  ; 
also  some  wood  handy,  and  but  few  mosquitoes,  which  at  the 
dragoon  camp  were  far  worse  than  I  ever  saw  before,  or  heard 
of,  or  imagined  ;  in  lact,  no  imagination  could  do  them  justice 
—  they  must  be  seen  and  felt  to  be  appreciated.     I  rode  a 
cream-colored  horse,  and  was  unable  to  distinguish  the  color 
of  the  animal  so  thickly  was  he  covered  on  my  arrival  there. 
During  supper  they  swarmed  around  like  bees  hiving,  and 
entered  the  mouth,  nose,  ears,  and  eyes,  and  had  it  not  been 
for  a  cool,  fresh,  evening  breeze,  they  would  have  been  un- 
bearable.     Dr.  F.  remained  with  the  lieutenant  at  the  camp 
all  night,  and  I  have  since  learned  that  they  were  almost 
literally  devoured  alive,  albeit  they  had   the  protection  of 
mosquito  bars ;  which  on  this  occasion  did  not  amount  to  much. 
Dr.  F.  wns  phlebotomised  to  the  extent  of  several  pounds  of 
blood ;  and  finally  took  refuge  on  the  open  prairie,  muffled  up 
in  a  lot  of  blankets,  and  exposed  to  the  keen  night  wind,  which 
still  proving  ineffectual  in  resisting  their  attacks  (as  he  says 
they  even  penetrated  through  his  boots),  he  finally,  at  daylight, 
threw  off  all  disguise,  and  almost  distracted  took  refuge  in  a 
smudge  among  the  tents.     He  to-day  looks  dry,  and  has  very 
much  of  a  smoked  appearance,  besides  being  weak.     He  feels 
that  he  has  been  victimizf.d  by  hordes  and  legions  of  winged 
devils— -a  mosquitoed  martyr.    At  our  own  camp  I  slept  com- 


I 


264 


8KI;TCIIES    by    a    CAMPFUiE. 


n  '' 


ij '    'I 


'-  j^  ,u.-'.juifei&^  : 


fortably  M'itliout  a  bar,  and  Iwul  no  nioro  bills  pr    -nted  than  I 
could  settle,  without  disturbing  pleasant  slumber. 

SuNDAv,  31st.— The  last  day   of  summer  and   a  cool    and 
pleasant  one  — with  a  fine  breeze,  the  very  counterpart  of 
yestenbay,  which  was  exceedingly  warm.     We  rose  late  this 
morning-  and  started  about  seven  o'clock  — soon  came  to  the 
Shayernie  again,   and   after  passing  the   dragoon  camp,  and 
down  the  high,  steep  hill  on  the  south  side,  we  passed  the 
river  on  a  rough  log  bridge ;  the  muddy  stream  flowing  below 
deep  and  silently,  like  a  large  canal,  the  banks  steep,  muddy, 
and  heavily  wooded.     The  country  through  which  the  Shay- 
enne  flows  is  much  broken  and  quite  hilly,  with  knolls  and 
sand^bands  rising  upward  in  much  confusion.     On  tlie  north 
side  of.the  stream  the  country  is  quite  low  and  flat,  almost  on 
a  level  with  the  river,  and  forming  a  strange  contrast  with  the 
high  bank  opposite.     It  rises,  however,  in  the  course  of  a  mile 
or  more,  and  we  ascended  another  level  prairie  when  our  hun- 
ters  discovered  two  bull-buffalo  about  a  mile  ahead.     Thev 
immediately  equipped  and  started,  and  soon  surrounded  and 
killed   both.     The  carts  and  balance  of  the  party  then  pro- 
ceedcd  to  the  spot;  about  half  a  mile  from  the  road,  and  on 
discovering  water,  we  encamped  on  the  open  prairie  for  the 
balance  of  the  day.     The  buffalo  were  skinned,  the  choice 
parts  cut  out,  and  the  liver  and  kidneys  fried  for  dinner.     It 
was  not  as  good  as  that  of  beef,  and  I  must  taste  the  steaks 
before  I  decide  as  to  the  merits  of  bull-buffalo.     As  this  was 
the  first  buffalo  seen  or  taken,  it  aflorded  for  a  time  much 
excitement.     Guns,  pistols,  etc.,  were  reloaded,  handkerchiefs 
were  tied  around  heads,  waists  belted,  stirrups  tightened  and 
away  they  went,  best  fellow  foremost,  and  Dr.  Foster  himself 
in  the  carriage  this  time  (instead  of  Tyler),  in  hot  pursuit. 

MoNDkY,  September  l.~The  mosquitoes  this  morning  were 
almost  as  bad  as  on  Saturday  night,  the  air  being  warm  a/id 
sultry,  and  weather  cloudy,  and  our  camp  being  on  the  flat, 
marshy  prairie,  near  a  swamp.  There  was  no  satisfaction  in 
eating  eveii  bufialo  meat,  which,  by-the-by,  is  not  so  good  as 
a  beef-stoak,  hy  any  means,  being  dry,  tough,  and  more  taste- 
less.    Jf  broiled,  and   we1l-scas..n,.d,  it  miglit  answer  better. 


i'ti^   'f^^ 


i   I'    1; 


THE   OUTWARD   MARCH. 


265 


r  ad  ;  the  mosquitoes,  as  usual,  very  bad 

;e.^a  t,     poo.  ,eno,.  .„  .  /XfoTo!;  L!::7eaf: 
feast  on.     Our  liorees  now  look  lank  and  lean ;  between  lon^ 
marches,  fl.es  and  n,„sq„itoes,  and  no  grain,  t hey  ,ave  V:^"! 
l-adly;  we  hope  to  have  cool  weather,  ani  ned,'™  a  Z 
::;:  altd^^  "■-■■-^'■^o-  «,«,  have  beenS  ™e'd  : 
lauie  all  day.     The  weather  is  warm ;  mercury  was  sixtv  five 
degrees  at  sunrise,  and  our  march  only  abou"^:  fi  te  "  mt" 
Soon  after  camping  to-night,  our  hunters  rode  out  and  sho"t 
another  buffalo,  which  had  been  discovered  lying  in  the  1  tl 
gn,ss  about  a  nule  off  from  camp.    He  proved  to  be  a  b  d 
»d  ran  most  furiously  for  a  mile  or  two  before  he  was  sur 
ounded  and  brought  to  bay.     During  the  chase,  PieTre  Bo 

g ZV  h"  ^"' -t';  '"'  ''""''  ""^  "^-  "olenti:  to  tt 
n  .  ud,  iTT  ,7 '"f  """"-'"-""^  ^'""-d  though 
and  put  to  bed  t'  "'?  '"''  ''™."^'"  '"  '""^  '"  "'«  »'-"4. 
-en.!    t  e-ea.tr  IXLrZdttrS  ^Zf 

t>.e  flies  an'd    ^ostu:^  Zlt^'eT^r  ^^  ■'-•-'' 

ahead      1  hey  had  just  killed  another  buffalo,  and  were  cook! 

"g  large  quant.t.es  of   the   meat  for  m.pper- buffalo  uow 

bccming  quite  plenty.  "  uunaio  uow 

bo„ndlc..,s  p,an-,e-no  wood  in  sight,  and  none  to  use  8avo 


II 


'.* 


I 


266 


SKETCHES   BY   A   CAMP-FIRE. 


what  we  carry  with  us.  The  country  is  flat,  and  very  unin- 
isresting,  the  water  stagnant,  and  prairie  marshy.  No  signs 
of  Red  river,  we  being  still  away  off  some  forty  miles  to  the 
left.  The  mercury  at  sunrise  to-day  was  down  to  forty-three 
degrees,  not  quite  cold  enougf  however,  to  deaden  our  tor- 
mentors, yet,  who  arc  almost  as  active  as  ever. 

Wednesday,  3d. — Up  at  four  o'clock,  and  away  at  five, 
A.M.  Rode  ten  miles,  and  halted  for  our  noonday  rest ;  dined 
on  a  knoll  above  the  prairie,  near  a  small  stream  of  water. 
The  mercury  this  morning  stood  at  sixty-six  degi-ees,  the  air 
very  warm  from  the  south,  and  a  thunder-storm  away  off  to 
the  north.  The  mosquitoes,  as  usual,  very  bad  early  in 
the  morning.  The  wind,  however,  was  strong  this  afternoon, 
and  blew  the  most  of  them  away,  and  we  were  not  troubled  so 

much  till  night  again  ;  very  glad  for  that  respite  any  how 

our  tormentors  are  continuous  and  excessive  generally.  Made 
a  march  of  ten  miles  this  afternoon,  and  camped  on  the  prairie 
near  a  pond  of  water,  though  we  had  no  wood,  save^vhat  we 
carried  with  us. 

Most  of  the  party  started  on  a  buffalo  hunt  this  afternoon, 
and  did  not  return  till  after  dark,  when  they  came  in  shouting 
and  yelling  like  wild  Indians.  They  killed  two  bulls,  and 
the  dragoons  killed  three.  The  country  passed  over  to-day 
was  more  interesting,  being  high-rolling  prairie.  Our  road 
led  over  a  ridge  of  rolling  land,  running  east  and  west, 
though  no  timber  has  been  visible  since  at  noon  yesterday. 

Thursday,  4th.  —  Up  at  daylight ;  the  mosquitoes  being  too 
bad  to  allow  of  much  sleeping.  They  kept  us  awake,  in  fact, 
most  of  the  night ;  the  inside  of  the  bars  containing  quite 
enough  to  worry  a  man,  and  keep  him  slapping  and  fighting 
instead  of  sleeping,  while  the  tent  was  black  with  them, 
and  their  humming  noise  sounded  like  bees  hiving.  Six 
buffalo  were  discovered  this  morning  Avithin  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  the  camp,  but  as  our  horses  had  run  off  we  could  not 
follow  them.  Some  of  the  hunters  went  out  on  foot,  but  could 
not  approach  near  enough  to  get  a  shot.  After  riding  some 
eight  miles  this  forenoon,  we  came  to  a  branch  of  Goose  river, 
and  found  the  dragoons  there,  and  busy  drvincr  their  buffalo 


I 


THE   OUTWARD   MARCH. 


very  imin- 
No  signs 
liles  to  the 
forty-three 
8n  our  tor- 
ay  at  five, 
I'est ;  dined 
n  of  water. 
;es,  the  air 
Lway  off  to 
I    early    in 

afternoon, 
troubled  so 
iny  how — 
ly,  Made 
tlie  prairie 
e^vhat  we 

afternoon, 
n  shouting 

bulls,  and 
ver  to-day 

Our  road 
and  west, 
iterday. 

being  too 
ce,  in  fact, 
ling  quite 
id  fighting 
^ith  them, 
ing.  Six 
V  hundred 

could  not 
but  could 
ding  some 
oose  river, 
iir  buffalo 


267 


meat  over  smoke.     Here  we  found  the  first  timber  seen  in  two 
days;    it    bordered  the  high   bluff  on  the  south  side  of  the 
pretty  valley  through  which  this  branch  of  Goose  river  mean- 
clers  m  a  very  tortuous  manner,   in  common  with  all  these 
pra.ne  streams.     We  crossed  the  valley,  and  ascended  the  high 
hill  on  the  north  side,  where  we  dined  and  took  a  bath  in  the 
clear  cool  stream  besides.    The  wood  on  this  side  being  scarce, 
we  cooked  no  dinner     Our  meals  to-day  consisted'of  cold 
bo  led  poi;k  and  buffalo.     The  streams  and  crossings  in  this 
valley    unlike  those  between  the  Red  and  Mississippi,  flow 
deep  through  the  prairie,  and  have  for  the  most  part'  hard 
sandy  or  gravel  bottoms.     The  soil  is  lighter,  and  contains 
more   sand;  there  is  also  far  less  woodland,  and  a  less  lux- 
urious growth   of  vegetation.     We  came  up  to  no  more  had 
;V«c..  where  horses  swamp  and  teams  get  mired ;  but  pass 
over  all  obstn.tions  in  the  way  of  streams  and  swamps.'" 
out  any  aifHculty.     This  afternoon  we  rode  some  twelve  mile 
and  camped  on  a  knoll  above  a  small  stream  of  clear  good 
water  (though  very  warm).     Having  no  wood,  we  were  obLd 
to  boil  our  ket  le,  and  the  French  boys  their  pork  and  buffalo 
over  a  fire  made  of  dried  buffalo  chips. 

Only  a  few  mosquitoes  on  hand,  and  those  driven  to  leeward 
by  the  strong  smoke  and  smell  of  the  buffalo  chips.  We  kept 
them  all  out  of  the  tents  too,  and  had  the  most  comfortable 
sleep  we  have  had  since  starting;  which  makes  amends  for 
last  night  s  torments  and  is  like  a  change  from  purgatory  to 
the  third  heaven.  A  splendid  aurora  borealis  was  witnessed 
from  the  camp  last  night ;  a  glorious  display  which  is  very 
seldom  equalled.  -^ 

Our  escort,  which  is  always  far  ahead  or  out  of  timely  reach 
in  case  of  need  behind,  passed  us  at  our  camp  at  noon,  and 
are  out  of  sight  ahead  to-night.  After  supper  we  were  sere- 
naded by  a  large  band  of  wolves,  which  prowled  round  our 
camp,  and  howled  most  fearfully  all  night  long 

We  utterly  disregard  all  wolves.  Indians,  and  other  varmints. 
riiis  afternoon,  I  chased  a  large  drove  of  greyish  brown  wolves 
tor  a  mile  or  two,  and  shot  a  number  of  them.  Li  the  disfnn..A 
wneii  iirst  seen,  they  looked 


large  like  elk  or  deer,  and 


one 


268 


SKETCHES   BY   A   OAitP  FIRE. 


1*1 


black  one  moved  like  a  bufxalo.     Our  march  to-day  was  from 
sixteen  to  eighteen  miles. 

Fkiday,  5th.  — Clear,  fine,  and  pleasant ;  sun  very  hot,  with 
a  good  breeze  from  southwest.     Rode  ten  miles  in  the  morn- 
ing, over  a  gently-rolling  prairie,  ascending  one   ridge  and 
down  another,  with  nothing  but  level  prairies  and  ridges  ahead 
one  after  another  in  succession,  with  knolls,  ponds,  and  a  small 
Jake  or  two  by  way  of  variety,  and  a  strip  of  woodland  away 
off  to  the  right.     Halted  at  ten,  A.  M.,  on  a  branch  of  Gooso 
river,  though  not  so  large  as  the  one  passed  yesterday ;  in  fact 
It  IS  now  a  mere  rivulet  of  three  or  four  feet  wide.     The  water 
good   and  rather  cool.     Having  but  little  wood  to  cook,  we 
dined  on  herring,  tea,  and  crackers. 

This  afternoon  we  made  about  ten  miles,  and  camped  at 
dark  on  the  brow  of  a  hill  near  a  small  stream  ;  the  drao-oons 
were  encamped  in  the  edge  of  some  timber,  about  Uy.^  miles 
ahead.  A  very  pleasant,  clear  evening,  and  the  mosquitoes 
scarce ;  supped  on  buffalo-meat  and  tea,  and  slept  comfortably 
and  soundly.  "^ 

Saturday,  6th.  — Cloudy  and  cold,  quite  a  change  since  yes- 
teiday;  mercury  forty-eight  degrees  at  dawn.  At  eleven,  A 
M.,  rain  commenced  falling,  and  a  heavy  thunder-storm  passed 
around  the  horizon,  a  portion  visiting  us.  Wind  fresh  from  the 
north,  requiring  gloves  and  overcoats.  Up  at  daylight,  and 
away  on  our  march  as  usual  very  early 

Rode  some  twelve  miles  and  overtook  the  dragoons  at  ten, 
A.  M. ;  made  a  temporary  halt  till  eleven,  then  proceeded  some 
three  miles  farther  and  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  carts,  which 
came  up  at  three,  P.  M.  We  then  camped  on  the  south  side 
of  a  small  stream,  a  branch  of  Salt  river,  and  prepared  for  a 
comfortable  night's  rest,  and  a  quiet  spending  of  the  sabbath. 

The  dragoons  had  previously  encamped  on  the  north  side 
of  the  same  streun.,  and  had  just  killed  another  buffalo  in  the 
midst  of  the  thunder-storm.  Our  route  still  lies  over  prairie 
Hiterspersed  with  belts  of  timber,  and  stretching  north:  The 
bankL  of  the  brook  upon  which  we  ha^  e  encamped  are  also 
slightly  wooded,  and  I  believe  we  will  now  have  nl^nt^ 


THE   OrrWARD  MARCH. 


269 


rest  of  our  journey.  We  have  now  been  four  days  without 
any,  save  what  we  carried  with  us,  and  all  the  old  empty  bar- 
rels,  boxes,  &c.,  have  been  brought  into  requisition. 

We  were  amused  this  morning  by  Joseph  Courserole,  a  young 
halt-breed  Sioux,  who  is  our  chief  cook,  &c.  fle  was  making  a 
speech  to  the  camp  in  the  presence  of  the  French  boys  around 
the  fire.  He  spoke  and  gesticulated  with  all  the  earnestness 
ot  the  real  Indian,  and  was  encored  by  loud  "hohs"  from  the 
awakened  sleepers  in  our  tent.  He  spoke  in  Sioux,  and  I 
suppose  from  his  manner,  he  told  wonderful  things.  He  was 
born  away  out  to  the  northwest  of  our  present  camp  at  Devil's 
lake,  and  was  raised  at  Mendota  by  the  Hon.  H.  H.  Sibley 
He  IS  now  an  excellent  hunter,  the  best  shot  in  the  party,  and 
promises  to  become  a  celebrated  voyageur,  and  unrivalled  in 
tiie  chase.  One  of  the  party  was  taken  sick  to-day.  We 
camped  together  this  time,  and  medical  attendance  was  at  once 
on  hand. 

Among  the  fifty  people  who  compose  our  party  are  an  old 
Oanadian  Frenchman,  and  a  companion  younger  than  himself. 
1  he  old  man  passed  nearly  all  the  earlier  portions  of  his  life 
on  Ked  river,  and  till  some  twenty  years  ago,  when  he  moved 
to  Jlissouri  territory,  and  has  been  living  ever  since  away  out 
among  the  Blackfeet  Indians.  He  is  now  returning  to  live  and 
die  at  the  Selkirk  settlements.  He  and  his  companion  ride  in 
a  two-hoi^e  wagon,  drawn  by  two  grays,  and,  althougii  they 
camp  with  us,  they  cook  and  eat  at  their  own  camp-fire,  and 
sleep  without  a  tent,  either  under  their  wagon  or  alongside  on 
a  bed  of  robes  and  blankets  on  the  ground.  The  old  gentle- 
man IS  active  and  yet  vigorous,  though  his  head  shakes  with 
age. 

Pierre  Bottineau,  who  contracted  to  take  our  goods  and 
provisions  from  Sauk  Rapids  through  to  Pembina,  is  a  half- 
breed  Chippewa  u."  i  highly-nervous  temperament,  with 
Indian  features  stroro  :y  marked,  very  swarthy,  dark  hair,  tall, 
rnu«cular,  and  active,  and  is  about  thirty-seven  years  of  age.  He 
Js  an  excellent  huntvir  and  voyageur;  was  born  in,  and  has 
spent  his  whole  life  in  wandering  in  and  exploring,  this  terri- 
L.-^.  .,(!j„ioni  LOisuiij.     iio  nas  aioiig  eight  carts,  each 


270 


SKliTCHES  BY   A   CAMP  FIRE. 


h:  ; 


Hi  , 

Mi 

] 

'}■:     i 

1 

1 

r'       '■■ 

1 

i-^cinadiaii  ±rei)cli  boys  as  d  ' 


the  01 


uppewa  tribe  —  one  liis  own  broth 


rivers  ;  also  two  half-breed  men  of 


The  finest  exhib 


er. 


n  of  the  aurora  borealis  I  ever  witnesspd 
occurred  to-night,  beginning  at  nine  o'clock.  ^^^^^^^^^d 

To  attempt  a  description,  however,  is  the  height  of  vanitv 
Ihe  Rev  Mr.  Black  and  I  ga.ed  long  upon^it  as  Im^ 
remarkable  manifestation  in  the  heavens,  before  we  couldTear 
ourselves  away  and  retire  to  rest.  How  long  it  continued  after 
midnight  I  can  not  say. 

Mn  Black,  who  has  spent  his  life  in  Canada  and  Scotland, 
says  It  IS  much  the  finest  exhibition  he  has  ever  seen;  and 
rierre  has  never  seen  its  equal  this  side  of  Hudson's  bay 
where  tliey  are  extremely  common  and  very  beautiful.  We 
are  now  in  latit.de  forty-eight  degrees  north,  and  I  suppose 
will  have  frequent  exhibitions  of  them. 

Sunday,  7th.  ^ A  most  beautiful,  cool,  clear,  calm,  and  quiet 
day -the  pleasantest  .  o  have  yet  had.  The  camp  is  quiet  • 
the  people  are  all  reading  or  sleeping  ;  no  mosquitoes  to  anno; 
us-the  cohl,  fresh  air  from  the  north,  having  rid  us  for  a 
while  of  then-  aateful  presence.  Our  camp  is  a  most  beautiful 
one,  and  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  Saline  river,  a  small 
sti-cam  only  a  few  yards  wide.  On  the  opposite  side  near  by 
IS  he  dragoon  camp,  with  the  horses  grazing  in  the  little  valley 
Ween  ;  the  whole  forming  a  pretty  and  very  interesting 

It  is  three  weeks  to-day  since  we  left  St.  Paul.  Three 
weeks  of  daily  travel  across  prairies,  swamps,  and  streams,  up 
early  and  down  late.  Three  weeks  of  a  bold,  wild,  free  Jt 
of  hfe -which  I  enjoy  the  more  the  further  we  ad^ance,  and 
could  travel  on  to  Oregon  without  tiring.  We  have  no  lon^ 
and.  tedious  ma^-ches,  made  amid  "the  winter  of  discontent '' 
and  in  rude,  rough,  and  boisterous  weather,  but  all  is  Indian 
summer,  amid  joyous  ease,  comforts,  and  many  pleasures 
Another  aurora  to-night- .oon  over;  a  brilliant  moonlight 
evening  ;  air  cold,  mercury  down  to  forty-five  dc-rees 

Some  of  our  party  of  French  boys  have  been  "out  gunning 
to-day,  and  returned   with  lots  of  geese  and  ducks ;  others 


THE   OUTWARD  MARCH. 


271 


t.  and  six 
ed  men  of 

witnessed 

of  vanity, 
as  a  most 
could  tear 
lued  after 

Scotland, 
een  ;  and 
on's  bay, 
ful.  We 
I  suppose 

md  quiet 
is  quiet ; 
to  annoy 
us  for  a 
beautiful 
<  a  small 
near  by 
le  valley 
teresting 

Three 
jams,  up 
free  sort 
ice,  and 

no  lon^ 
ontent," 

Indian 
easures. 
aonliglit 

^unuing 
;  others 


I 


have  been  busy  putting  on  new  cart-axles,  their  usual  Sunday 
employments.  With  these  exceptions,  things  in  and  around 
both  camps  have  been  religiously  quiet. 

Monday,  8th.— A  most  beautiful,  clear  day,  with  a  cool  and 
pleasant  breeze  from  the  north.     The  morning  the  coldest  we 
have  yet  had,  the  mercury  being  down  to  thirty-six  degrees 
at  sunrise  —  almost  a  frost.     We  were  up  early  ;   struck  tents, 
caught  the  horses,  which  were  quite  refreshed  and  strengthened 
by  the  rest  and  good  pasture,  and  at  seven,  A.  M.,  once  more 
took  up  our  line  of  march  to  the  north.     The  dragoons  sound- 
ed bugle,  and  were  off  ahead  of  us.     After  a  march  of  four 
miles,  we  came  to  a  stream  supposed  by  us  to  be  the  Big  Salt 
river.     It  flowed   over  a  hard,    and  in  places  a  stony,  bed, 
tlirougli    a  deep   and  narrow  valley  ;    the    hill-sides  in  some 
parts  being  heavily  wooded  with  good-sized  oaks.     A  range 
of  cone-like  hills,  extending  from  the  left  of  the  road,  resem- 
bling a  line  of  mounds.     The  road  then  lay  over  a  gently- 
ascending  rolling  prairie;  a  small  stream  of  water,  and  a  stony 
granitic  ridge  occurring  occasionally.     Some  of  the  boulders 
in  the  beds  of  the  streams,  and  especially  on  the  ridges,  were 
quite  large.   Some  of  the  latter  were  painted  in  red  stripes,  and 
on  one  I  noticed  a  blood-red  hand,  and  four  horse-shoes  of  a 
yellow  color. 

We  then  passed  into  the  pretty  valley  of  the  Little  Salt,  and 
halted  for  dinner  on  its  banks,  after  a  very  pleasant  ride  of 
about  twelve  miles,  according  to  our  usual  mode  of  computing 
distances,  viz.,  three  miles  an  hour,  on  a  slow  walk.  The  banks 
of  this  small  river  ^ve  also  heavily  wooded  with  oak,  and  we 
have  found  amidst  tiiem  some  few  more  of  those  curses  to  a 
voyageur,  warmed  into  life  and  energy  by  the  noonday  sun— 
I  mean  mosquitoes. 

We  started  on  again  at  three,  P.  M.,  and  proceeded  about 
five  miles ;  and  encamped  for  the  night  on  the  north  side  of 
quite  a  stream,  called  Cart  river— the  water  clear  and  cold, 
and  flowing  over  a  bed  of  sand  and  gravel,  and  through  thick 
woods,  at  times  emerging  and  breaking  through  the  open 
prairie  in  large,  deep  ravines,  one  fourth  of  a  mile  in  width 
and  over  one  hundred  feet  in  depth,  the  stream  in  some  places 


I 


272 


SKETCHliS   BY    A    CAMP-FIRE. 


I 


teing  very  deep  and  broa.!,  and  .l.ickly  bordered  with  an  un- 
dorgrowtb  of  busbes.  The  scenery  around  to-nigbt  is  y,Z 
rom«„t,e  and  quite  beautiful.  A  furious  thunderstorm  is  eon'.' 
■■;g  up  :  the  low  mutterings  are  heard,  while  the  forked  lid.t 
mngsar-e  played  all  around  the  horizon  in  the  distance,  and 
the  mght  ,s  as  black  as  the  '■  dark,  unfathomed  eaves  of  ocean  " 
And  now  comes  down  the  deluge,  a  perfect  avalanche  of  falline 

tT'thrLol'tT         '"  '""  "^  ""  "°™  '"'  P''""'  "^"""'l  "« 

TuBsuAv,  9th  -Another  fine,  clear,  cool  day;  mercury  for- 
ty-eight  at  sunrise.     We  made  a  march  this  morning  of  about 
fi   een  rnUes,  and  halted  for  dinner  near  a  beautifuUtream    f 
cold  clear  water  flowing  over  a  sandy  bottom,  intermixed  with 
elate  and  gravel,  m  common  with  all  the  streams  we  have 
crossed  to-day.     The  country  travelled  over  has  been  very 
beautiful  -a  rolling  p,airie,  interspersed  with  heavy  belts  of 
timber  on  all  the  numerous  streams,  with  a  thick  undergrowth 
;..  many  places.     The  country  is  much  better  adapted  tt  farm 
2rZ7f        '  "":'  ''"^"'  ""'  ""  "'"  "'Ige  between  the 
.■a.ch      >\  e  are  now  descending  the  slope  into  the  low  lands 
b  rdenng  on  Red  river,  and  the  country  since  Saturday  mo™! 

n  ,''nKt"'"'"''t  "?"""  ""'"■""'^  '■'  "PI"'"'-''"'=e  and  the  land  in 
quality.     line  farms  could  be  located  in  the  country  we  are 

equalled,     femall  lakes  are  abundant,  and  veget.ition  good. 
Ihis  afternoon  we  proceeded  about  five  miles,  and  halted 

TrlZ  ?  r  f'"'^  "''«'  "*■  '™'""-'«l  ''•"«''  ^I'ove  a  wide 
p  aiiie  before  us,  bounded  on  the  far  side  to  the  northeast  by 
the  Poplar  isles,  just  dindy  visible  in  the  distance.  These  islands 
are  groves  of  young  poplars  thickly  collected  together  for 
.01^^  over  the  low,  flat  prairie,  like  the  wooded  isles  of  ocean. 
T\  .o^sn^v,  lOth.-Cloudy,  cool,  yet  very  pleasant.  Up 
at  half-past  three  o'clock;  breakfasted  about  daylight,  and  off 
m.  our  march  at  s,.i,ri.,o.  Kode  ten  miles,  and  rcLlld  Tongne 
rner,  as  It  ,s  called-a  stream  of  cold,  clear  water  and  a 

eaniped,  they  having  been  ahead  for  several  days.    Here  we 


'*^:,!|. 


THE   OUTWARD   MARCH. 


273 


ith  an  un- 
it is  wild, 
I'm  is  corn- 
■ked  light- 
^ince,  and 
of  ocean." 
of  falling 
around  us 

rcury  for- 
of  about 
stream  of 
ixed  with 
Ave  have 
een  very 
7  belts  of 
ergrowth 
to  farm- 
ween  the 
it  week's 
3w  lands 
ly  morn- 
?  land  in 
'7  Ave  are 
rcely  be 
^ood. 
I  halted 
a  wide 
least  by 
;  islands 
her  for 
P  ocean. 
It.     Up 
and  off 
rongne 
,  and  a 
)ns,  en- 
ere  we 


also  found  the  governor  and  Tyler,  they  having  gone  on  and 
left  UH  yesterday,  to  overtake  and  stop  our  escort — and  com- 
pel tliem  to  accompany  ns  into  Pembina,  from  which  we  aro 
now  diritaut  only  some  thirty  miles. 

This  afternoon  we  travelled  eight  miles,  when  the  horses 
giving  out,  Ave  camped  on  the  open  prairie,  without  wood,  and 
no  good  water,  and  the  mosquitoes  nearly  as  bad  as  at  the 
Shayenne.  To-night  we  have  had  a  heavy  thunderstorm,  to 
avoid  which  and  our  unremitting  persecutors  we  betook  our- 
selves to  the  tents,  and  thence  inside  our  mosquito-bars,  and 
lay  secure  from  both.  We  passed  through  the  "  Poplar  isles" 
to-day,  and  found  it  to  be  a  flat,  swampy,  and  uninteresting 
portion  of  country.  Tl«e  dragoons  are  out  of  sight  ahead  again 
to-night. 

Thursday,  11th.  —  Cold  and  cloudy,  with  rain  aod  mist 
nearly  all  day ;  wind  northeast,  and  by  far  the  most  unpleas- 
ant day  we  have  yet  had.  Up  late,  and  breakfasted  in  the 
rain  for  the  first  time  on  the  march.  Rode  about  twelve  miles, 
and  at  noon  reached  Bottineau  point,  a  prominent  point  of 
woods  on  Tongue  river.  Here  we  halted  and  dined  in  the 
high,  wet  grass  —  our  last  meal  out.  It  consisted  of  ducks  (of 
which  we  shot  about  fifty  on  the  banks  of  Duck  lake,  near  by), 
also  pork  and  boiled  buffalo-tongues,  potatoes,  tea,  &c.,  with 
wild  plums  for  dessert  which  we  found  on  some  scrubby  trees 
on  the  river-bank,  and,  though  not  fully  ripe,  were  quite  a 
luxury. 

At  two,  P.  M.,  we  started  on,  and  soon  found  the  dragoons 
again.  They  were  encamped  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  on 
Tongue  river,  where  they  remain  till  to-morrow.  "We  now  had 
eight  miles  of  swampy  prairie  to  cross,  and  at  four,  P.  M., 
came  in  sight  of  the  first  houses  at  the  Red  river  settlement, 
much  to  our  great  joy ;  as  a  house  was  as  much  of  a  novelty 
to  us  after  a  tramp  of  five  hundred  miles  across  the  unpeopled 
prairies,  as  the  first  sight  of  laud  is  to  the  weary  and  tempest- 
tossed  mariner. 

The  houses  were  full  of  half-breeds,  who  saluted  us  with  the 
discharge  of  guns,  &c.  Dr.  Foster  and  Mr.  Lord  rode  on 
ahead,  and  were  treated  to  milk  and  potatoes — a  treat  equal 

12» 


jiijiii 


,i  I 


^:l 


'h.ii 


I 


274 


bKK'IOIlES    BT    A   OAMP-FIRE. 


to  H,«t  Of  tl,„  ,nilk  „,Hl  l,o„ey  received  by  the  w«,„leri„K  c.il- 
.1  on  on«,.aeI  of  „|,1.     A  ,„ii„  l,oj.„„<l  we  can.e  to  the  j,l.  I 

N.  ^^  .  Ku  s,„,,  ],„,j.,  „,„,  4|,„  settlement  called  I'eml,i,Ta  in  the 
«..gle  at  the  jnnction.     Here  we  fnnnd  half  a  dozen  log-dw  , 
!".«»,  and  a  qnantity  of  half.hreed  and  Chippewa  lodges;  the 
Am,.r,can  flag  Hying  «.„,„  the  top  of  a  till  flagstaff,  'wth 
Wn,,,  s  ables,  haystacks,  horses,  eattle,  &c.,  and  things  geler 
ally  looking  very  comfortable.     On  the  muddy  banks  in  fro!  t 
»tood   an   adm.ring  gronp   of  several   hundred  whi,.-s,     I 
l.™cds.  and  Indians,  of  all  sizes;  with  any  quantity  of  dog 
very  large  and  wolfish  :  and  amid  this  Babel  of  cL.  yelp  ' 
larks,  and  shouts,  from  the  said  big  dogs  and  little  papooso 
Indmns  we  came  to  a  halt  and  reconnoitred,  oa  the  soutll^Mde 
of  the  I  en,b,ua  and  west  of  the  Ked  river,  standing  almost 
glued  fast  ,n  the  sticky,  tenacious  „u,d,  caused  by  the  ra",  s 
and  annual  overflow  of  these  two  rivers  for  three  years  pa 
I  he  tunber  upon  their  banks  is  dead  (drowned  out),  the  ground 
desftute  of  grass,  with  tall,  rank  weeds  three  and  four  ftet  „ 
hc)ji;ht  cabouiiding.  " 

Tl.c  rivers  are  very  i«„ddy  and  deep,  with  but  little  ciurent. 
Ked  river  is  about  one  hundred  yards  in  width,  and  the  Pem- 

and  tl.e   streauin  heavily  wooded,  while   a  thick  growth  of 

Selkirk  settlement.  Mr.  Kittson  and  Messrs.  Rolette  and  (^av- 
1  leer  soon  visited  us  and  took  us  over  to  the  town,  givii.c  ng 
the  freedom  of  the  place,  besides  sending  some  Selkirk  buUer 
and  eggs  across  to  us  at  camp.  Our  carts  arriving  at  dark,  we 
bu.lt  a  rousing  fire,  pitched  tents,  covered  the  banks  with  grass 
and  weeds  spread  our  oil-cloths  and  mattresses,  and  were  once 
more  comfortable. 

This  is  our  last  night  "  out  of  sight  of  land"-slept  our  last 
seep  o„  the  tented  prairie  for  the  present,  which  I'regr  t  « 
.t  IS  far  preferable  to  a  bed  of  down  within  a  palace.     Slept 
r«,.  n''  ™"''f  ""S  *''«  °»'1'!'"<1<'  of  <li«eordant  and  almost 
tomed  to  quietness  and  ealm.     Now  are  heard  the  Indians 


AL,i 


TUK      T'TWARD   MAROIf. 


275 


fleritig  c.iil- 
file  junction 
ling-post  of 
i^JJna  in  the 
n  log-dw'-l- 
odges;  the 
staff;    with 
iiigs  gener- 
iks  in  front 
liit'^s,  half- 
-y  of  dogs, 
"e:^,  yelps, 
le  papoose 
south  .side 
ng  almost 
the  rains 
ears  past, 
he  ground 
)ur  feet  iii 

e  current. 
the  Pem- 
1  around, 
rovvth  of 
mhina  to 
and  Cav- 
giviug  U8 
rk  butter 
dark,  we 
ith  grass 
'ere  once 

;  our  last 
egret,  as 
.  Slept 
i  almost 
s,  accus- 
Indians 


shriekin-?  and  beating  upon  drums  at  their  camp  across  the 
Pembina,  and  tho.sc  big  dogs  keep  howling  dismally,  like  a 
host  of  wild,  voracious  Avolve^.  The  dark  and  cloudy"^night  is 
made  hideous  with  hclMik  wailings;  and  the  mournfub'^sigh- 
ing  wind  bears  to  our  ears  the  sharp  and  piercing  cries  from  a 
hunured  deep-toned  thr  tn,  -ounding  in  their  awfuli  ess  like 
the  despairing  howling^  ui  the  dumned.  So  much  for  our  firat 
night  at  Pembina. 

We  have  tb-  made  the  march  from  Sauk  rapids  to  this 
place  in  twenty,  uavelling  days,  being  twenty-two  in  all,  and 
from  St.  Paul  just  twenty-five  days.  Mensrs.  Kittson  and  Oav- 
ileer  came  through  a  short  time  since  in  twelve  days,  or  about 
nine  and  a  half  days  of  marching  time,  the  quickest  trip  on 
record. 

Friday,  12th.— -Weather  cool  and  pleasant;  the  mercury 
forty-eight  degrees  at  sunrise.  This  raon.:  g  we  rode  a  few- 
miles  out  of  town,  and  met  the  dragon  .g  advancing,  and  then 
e&corted  them  to  the  junction  of  the  Pembina  and  Red  rivers 
where  we  all  crossed  the  former  tream,  to  the  settlements 
beyond.  We  found  a  busy  scene  on  going  over.  The  houses 
are  built  uound  an  open  space,  and  the  square  courtyard  (so 
to  speak)  is  filled  with  a  miscellaneous  crowd  of  half-l.reeds, 
Indians,  of  all  sizes,  with  their  lodges  of  bark  and  skins,  to- 
gether with  horses,  cattle,  carts,  dogs,  &c.,  in  great  variety 
and  numbers. 

The  houses  are  built  of  lo-s,  filled  with  mud  and  straw ;  the 
roofs  thatched  with  the  latter,  and  some  covered  over  with 
bark.  Around  the  angles  of  the  yard  are  various  warehouses, 
an  icehouse,  blacksmith-shop,  and  the  ti-ading-house,  or  store, 
which  is  covered  completely  over  with  large  squares  of  bark, 
and  looked  like  an  entire  barkhouse.  In  front,  toward  the 
river,  are  barns  and  stables,  haystacks,  &c.,  with  numerous 
horses  and  cattle  feeding,  and  a  general  appearance  of  thrift, 
comfort,  and  industry,  pervades  the  scene— so  new  and  inter- 
esting to  us  all,  after  a  three-weeks'  jaunt  across  the  prairies, 
in  which  we  did  not  meet  a  single  human  creature,  not  even  u 
roaming  Chippewa  or  Sioux. 


We  took  possession  of  Mr.  Kittson's  house,  which  lu 


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SKKTCUliS    BY    4    CAMP-FIRE. 


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kindly  placed  at  o«r  disposal,  and  celebrated  our  arrival  bv  . 
™n,ptuo«s  dinner,  i„  „,,iel,  ;,„,  ,„„  „„<i  potatoes,™  1" 

table  line,     rbese  were  grown  in  the  gardens  bere,  and  are 
tbe  only  pr„d„ct,o„s  of  tbe  soil  now  cultivated  at  tb  s  p lael 
no  farming  whatever  being  done,  on  account  of  tbe  annuai 
floods  m  the  valley  of  tbe  Red  river,  for  tbree  yePrs  pasT-l 
he  waters  having  risen  to  tbe  height  of  thirty-one  .„d  tl  rt7 
three  feet  above  low-w.iter  mark,  flooding  alUhe  country  "fa 
nundating  the  houses  at  this  place  to  the  depth  o      wo  aid 
three  feet.    Mr.  Kittson  was  obliged  to  leave  t'he  pos   a   tl^s 
pWe  last  spring,  and  take  up  his  residence  for  a  nfonth  up  n 
he  suri^unding  highlands.    These  floods,  should  they  Ton" 
til  «e,  will  prove  a  serious  drawback  to  the  settlement  of  th?s 
valley    be  half-breeds  being  loath  to  put  in  crops  when  they 
are  liable  to  be  swept  off  annually.  ^ 

Mr.  Kittson  had  some  six  thousand  rails  swept  off  from  his 
place  ast  year.  To  obviate  this  difliculty,  a  new  town  ami  an 
agiicultural  settlement  has  been  laid  out  by  Mr.  Kittson,  and 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Belconrt  (tbe  catholic  priest  stationed  at  this 
place),  on  what  is  called  tbe  Pembina  mountain,  thirty  me 
^0  the  west  of  this  place,  and  bordering  on  the  river  Pembi  a 
a  he  situation  is  a  very  eligible  one,  in  a  fine  farming  region  • 

called  ,St.  Joseph's,"  and  is  situated  upon  tbe  eastern  slope 
of  the  longitudinal  ridge  of  land,  called  Mount  Pembina,  which 
.s  m  places  heavily  wooded,  and  presents  an  Alleganian  ap- 
pearance  as  it  is  approached  or  skirted  along  toward  the  east 

bince  our  an-ival,  the  name  of  "  Waucheona,"  the  Chip- 
pewa term  for  momlain,  has  been  selected  by  Dr.  Foster  and 
adopted  by  Mr.  Kittson,  as  the  name  of  the  embryo  to.  ^  he 
being  opposed  to  exhausting  tbe  whole  calendar  of  saints,  and 
inaking  every  one  of  tbem  stand  as  godfather  to  every  town, 
lake,  mountain,  or  stream,  in  the  territory 

In  consequence  of  there  being  no  farming  operations  earned 
on  here  now,  we  found  no  grain  on  hand  to  feed  our  horses, 
exceptmg  barley  and  that  is  brought  up  from  tbe  Selkirk 
eettlements,  one  hundred  miles  down  Red  river.     Barley  is  a 


THE   OUTWAUD   MARCH. 


277 


Stronger  feeder  than  oats,  yet  not  so  gooa  as  com.  It  pro- 
duces  more  than  oats,  say  about  forty  bushels  to  the  aore ;  and 
the  price  beloxv  ranges  from  fifty  cents  to  a  dollar  per  bushel, 
the  former  being  the  standard  price  when  no  extra  demand 
takes  place. 

This  afternoon  I  took  a  walk  across  "  the  line,"  two  miles 
below,  in  company  with  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Black  and  Tanner, 
the  latter  a  half-breed  Chippewa.  About  half  way  down,  we 
passed  the  residence  of  the  Rev.  M.  Belcourt,  a  large,  two-story 
frame-house,  situated  alongside  of  a  rude  log-church,  surmounted 
by  a  wooden  cross 

The  site  is  a  very  pleasant  and  commanding  one,  upon  the 
high  ground  about  half  a  mile  back  from  the  river,  and  safe 
from  floods.     Gardens,  out-houses,  and  vehicles,  were  scattered 
around,  and  an  air  of  comfort,  and  the  rude  enjoyments  of  a 
far-off  hame,  were  visible.     I  am  told  that  all  the  half-breeds 
here  are  catholics,  with  perhaps  a  few  exceptions,  and  that 
Mr  Belcourt  has  resided  among  them,  at  the  settlements  below, 
aiid  here,  the  long  term  of  twenty-three  years  and  upward. 
He  IS  at  present  at  tlu    Mountain.     At  the  line  (forty-nine 
degrees)   we  found  an  elm-post,  which  wa.?  planted   in  the 
ground,  upon  the  river  bank,  by  Major  Woods  and  Capt.  Pope, 
bearing  date,  August  14,  1849.     Just  beyond  is  the  first  tra- 
ding  post  and  buildings  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  in  this 
direction,  a  rival  post  of  Kittson's.     The  buildings  are  built  of 
logs  and  mud,  one  story  high,  and  thatched  with  straw,  are 
very  >.  arm  and  comfortable,  and  built  around  an  open  square. 
Here  we  found  an  old  Scotch  gentleman,  named  Sittare,  an 
employee  of  the  Bay  Company,  and  who  has  charge  of  this 
place.     He  is  a  native  of  the  Orkney  Isles,  and  has  resided 
in  British  America  the  still  longer  term  of  forty-eight  years. 
A  lifetime  spent  amid  such  solitudes  is  enovgh  to  make  a  man 
a  misanthrope,  and  no  one  need  wonder  at  it  if  I  were  to  say 
that  the  old  gentleman  was  not  the  most  agreeable  personage 
that  I  have  met  in  this  direction. 

His  only  companions  were  a  few  half-breeds;  the  trading- 
house  was  closed,  no  trade,  or  business  of  any  kind  on  hand, 
and  the  whole  place  was  dull  and  desolate.     Slept  in  our  tent 


278 


i;i 


I   i 


SKETCHES   BY   A   CAMP-FIRE. 


tl.e  man,  b,.,l  1  ng»,  w.tl,  large  fires  burning  around,  and  at 
eacl,,  „  „,,       ,,,d  ,  „„,,^^,  ^^  ^^,^.^^  fe  balf-breecirand 

I"dm„s,  ubile  in  the  distance,  tl,e  dogs  are  howling  the 
b  ayes  and  younger  squaws  are  daneing  promiscuously  around 
the,r  lodges,  singing  and  beating  drums  for  their  amLement 
and  perhaps  as  a  lullaby  to  us.  They  succeed  most  admtabT'' 
...  making  the  black  night  as  hideous  as  possible.  OuTe!c«; 
of  dragoons,  are  encamped  about  one  fomth  of  a  mile  back 
npon  he  prairie,  and  their  camp  of  snow-white  tents,  with  the 
A,ne..can  flag  flying  gayly  in  the  breeze,  present    qM      a 

odgos  wluc  ,  are  dotted  here  and  there,  separately,  audi" 
httle  hamlets  of  a  dozen,  all  around  as  far  as  the\e  can 

day.     The  wind  is  keen  from  the  northeast,  and  feels  like  that 

to  fi"f^"":,        ^"^  "■  '""^"-  '""'»''''»■     The  mercury  was  d  w„ 
to  fifty  degrees  at  sunrise,  and  only  rose  to  sixty-ffve  degrels 

In/       :  Tf"^-  ^  '"^^  ^"^''""'^  •"">*  started  fo?  tie 

liX7l/l  ■'".?'■'"'  ^"''"^''-     T''«  »«""  ^a»  canned  by 
eight  half-breeds,  six  of  ^hom  were  oarsmen.     They  wiU 

occupy  two  days  in  going  down;  two  more  in  collectiifgZ 

barley  a„a  getting  it  thrashed,  as  it  now  stands  out  if  te 

fields  :n  shocks;    five  days  to  ascend  the  crooked,  sluggish 

stream  and  will  bring  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  bh! 

on  then  second  arrival,  say  about  the  1st  of  October,  we  wiH 
start  homeward.  To-day  the  half-breeds  and  Indians  wee 
o7ttrT"""'K  •'"'  ^"'^-■'"--ved  flour  and  pem  Jca„ 

wUhanad/f-  f',f'"™'  ""''  *'"'  '■-"•-'"■eeds  the  same; 
ith  an  additional  allowance  to  each  family  of  four  pounds  of 
sugar,  and  one  pound  of  tea,  they  all  being  great  lovers  of 
that  beverage.  This  occupied  all  the  morning^  The  Indians 
number  some  five  hundred,  and  the  half-brfeds,  who  d  ew 
mtions  about  fifty  families.  The  latter  are  living  here  during 
their  attendance  on  the  treaty,  in  skin-lodges;  though  I  am 


I 

i 


THE   OUTWARD   MARCH. 


279 


told  they  have  comfortable  log-houses,  when  settled  perma 

nently  at  home ;  and  when  not  out  on  their  semi-annual  hunt 

1  have  observed  a  number  of  their  houses  along  the  banks  of 

Pembina  and  Red  rivers,  and  understand  the  rest  to  be  at  the 

Mountain   and  away  out  at  Devil's  lake,  about  one  hundred 

niiles  to  the  southwest.     Their  occupation  at  present  is  exclu- 

81V  ly  that  of  hunters;  and  their  life  is  naturally  a  free  and 

easy,  an  I  a  careless  one;  hunting  buffalo  and  making  pemmi- 

can  and   ox-carts,  occupy  all  their  time.     These  carts  are 

made  entirely  of  wood,  not  even  an  iron  nail  is  used,  wooden 

pins,  and  thongs,  and  bands  of  hide,  being  substituted.     The 

only  tools  used  are  an  axe,  a  hand-saw,  a  three-quarter,  and 

an  inch  auger,  with  chisels  of  the  same  size.     The  carts  are 

sold  for  thirty  shillings;  which  is  the  average  price,  except  in 

the  hunting  seasons,  when  in  demand,  they  sell  as  high  as  ten 

dollars.     A  pair  of  wheels  alone,  are  then  worth  five  dollars 

Ihey  are  very  strong,  and  will  carry  twelve  hundred  pounds 

ot  buffalo  and  pemmican. 

The  fall  hunt  comes  off  soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty 
Ihe  usual  time  for  starting  upon  the  summer  and  fall  hunts,  is 
the  10th  of  June  and  September.     Nothing  but  pemmican  and 
dned  meat  is  secured  on  these  two  hunts ;  the  robes  being  all 
taken  m  the  winter,  when  the  hair  is  long;  the  party  returned 
from  their  summer  hunt  just  before  our  arrival  here      They 
were  unsuccessful  too,  for  once,  and  returned  quite  poor  and 
empty-handed.     'Che  had  a  desperate  fight,  about  the  20tL  of 
August,  with  the  Yankton  Sioux,  who  were  one  thousand 
sti'ong,  and  all  mounted  upon  horses ;    the  affair  took  place 
away  off  upon  the  Missouri  plains,  upon  the  western  slope  of 
the  Coteau  des  Prairies,  and  resulted  in  the  victory  of  the 
lialf-breeds  after  they  had  been  entrenched  behind  their  carts 
and  an  earth  embankment,  for  a  day  or  two.     I  did  not  ascer- 
tain the  number  killed  on  either  side. 

Sunday,  14th.— Cloudy,  cold,  raw,  and  windy;  quite  un- 
pleasant and  unseasonable.  An  over-coat  is  necessary  out  of 
doors,  this  morning,  and  fires  in  the  house,  for  comfort;  the 
weather,  as  well  as  other  matters,  serves  to  remind  us  of  our 
northern  latitude.     To-day  we  had  preaching  by  the  Rev 


■h 


280 


SKETCHES   BY  A   CAMP-FIRE. 


John  Black,  in  the  dining-room  of  the  governor's  house-   a 
novelty  most  certainly,  in  this  far  distant  region.     The  con 
gregation  consisted  of  abont  a  dozen  whites,  and  three  half- 
breeds       Ihe   Ilev.   Mr.    Tanner   also    officiated,   sang,  and 
prayed,  in  English ;    and  this  afternoon,  he  preached  in  the 
open  a.r,  to  tlie  assembled  Indians  in  the  Chippewa  language 
Some  of  them  paid  close  attention,  sitting  in  a  circle  upon  the 
ground;  while  others  were  listless  and  wandering,  and  others 
stood  looking  on  from  a  distance,  with  the  dragoons  and  half- 
breeds.     Ihe  Chippewa  is  a  beautifully  sounding  language,  like 
the  Italian.     Mr.  Tanner  uses  the  Chippewa  testament  and 
hymns,  which  were  translated  by  his  father,  who  was  for  many 
years  a  prisoner  among  them,  and  wrote  a  book  thereon.     Mr 
lanner  is  about  thirty-five  years  of  age,  and  a  very  superio; 
man  for  his  class ;  he  was  born  on  the  east  side  of  Red  river 
opposite  this  place ;  was  educated  at  Mackinaw,  and  has  actea 
as  a  missionary  among  the  Indians  at  Red  lake,  for  the  last 
five  years.     He  removed  to  this  place  a  week  ago,  and  intends 
farming,  teaching  school,  <Src.,  for  a  livelihood  after  the  con- 
elusion  of  the  treaty.     His  wife  is  a  half-breed,  and  they  reside 
at  present,  m  a  lodge  in  the  yard  at  this  place.     He  is  a  fluent 
and  earnest  speaker,  and  discourses  with  great  fervor  and  much 
eloquence  to  his  red  brethren,  and  is  calculated  to  do  good,  if 
any  can  be  done  among  them  ;  he  has  been  with  them  on  their 
buffalo-hunts  to  the  Missouri  plains,  armed  like  the  rest;  and 
has  hunted  buffalo  and  made  pemmican   all  the  week,  and 
preached  the  gospel  to  them  on   Sunday.-    ibis  being  one 
phase  of  niissionary  life  upon  the  prairies.     He  also  has  a 
half-breed  brother,  a  real  heathen  as  he  styles  him,  who  ranks 
as  a  chief  among  the  Indians,  and  who  lives  among  them,  and 
accompanies  them  upon  their  hunts.     This  afternoon,  things 
are  dull  and  quiet;  the  Indians  are  strolling  around,  or  lying 
Idly  in  theu-^ lodges;    the  squaws  are  lugging  huge  loads  of 
wood  upon  their  backs,  which  they  cut  upon  the  river's  bank, 
and  secure  by  a  strap  passing  over  their  shoulders  and  around 
the  forehead;  their  bodies  bending  beneath  the  heavy  load. 
Dozens  of  dirty  children,  half-clad  in  a  piece  of  still  dirtier 
blanket,  are  also  playing  around.     The  half-breeds  are  sitting 


house;   a 
The  cou- 
»ree  half- 
ang,  and 
ed  in  the 
language, 
upon  the 
iid  others 
and  half- 
lage,  like 
nent  and 
for  many 
on.     Mr. 
superior 
cd  river, 
las  actea 
the  last 
i  intends 
the  con- 
iy  reside 
I  a  fluent 
id  much 
good,  if 
on  their 
St  J  and 
ek,  and 
ing  one 
)  has  a 

0  ranks 
5m,  and 
.  things 
r  lying 
5ads  of 

1  bank, 
around 
y  load. 

dirtier 
sitting 


THE   OUTWARD  MARCH. 


281 


around  the  fires  in  the  ynrd  ;  some  lying  in  their  lodges,  and 
others  standing  at  a  respectful  distance,  listening  to  Mr.  Tan- 
ner.     Iheir  young  priest.  M.  Lecombe,  has  come  down  from 
his  residence  at  the  mi..sion-house  since  vespers,  and  is  holding 
a  consultation  with  the  governor.     He  seems  to  be  a  very  in- 
telhgent,  fine,  young  fellow  j    and  intends  accompanying  u8 
homeward  to  St.  Paul,  on  his  way  to  Montreal ;    where  the 
Kev.  Mr.  Black  came  from,  on  his  way  to  Selkirk  settlement: 
thus  keeping  up  an  equilibrium  in  religious  matters,  and  effect- 
ing  a  change  between  these  two  distant  regions,  in  the  persons 
of  two  ministers  of  different  faiths;  which  is  pleasant  to  con- 
template, and  which  will  be  of  great  advantage  to  all  con- 
cerned.  ° 


THE    TREATY. 

Monday,    15th.~Still  cold,  raw,  windy,  and   unpleasant; 
wind  east-southeasi ;  it  looks,  feels  too,  very  much  like  snow, 
and  has  for  several  days  past ;  the  mercury  was  down  to  fifty  at 
sunrise.     At  noon  the  Indians  met,  and  the  treaty  commenced 
in  front  of  the  governor's  house;  his  excellency,  with  Dr  Fos- 
ter as  secretary,  and  others,  were  sitting  at  a  table  at  the 
ft-ont  door;  the  principal  chiefs,  braves,  and  head  men  of  the 
Eed  lake  and  Pembina  bands  of  Chippewas,  were  sitting  on 
low  seats  m  fiont,  while  around  behind  them  in  a  semi-clcle 
stood  a  numerous  crowd  of  half-breeds  and  Indians,  men,  boys 
squaws,  and  papooses,  accompanied  by  their  dogs,  who    for 
once  during  our  stay  here,  were  quiet.     The  governor  opened 
the  council  by  an  address  of  some  length,  which  was  inter- 
preted  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tanner  and  James  Nolen,  to  them ;  as 
also   their   replios   made  in   return.     An   old   Indian,  named 
Cleai^-Weather,"  replied  twice  to  the  governor's  remarks,  in 
which  he  was  quite  pert  and  facetious  as  he  thought,  and  end- 
ed by  wanting  a  plain  statement  of  our  business  there,  and 
what  we  were  -oing  to  do  for  them  — what  we  were  going  to 
offer  them,  told  bluntly  and  without  any  circumlocution  or  or- 
nament ;  he  V  anted  no  "  sugared  words  or  honeyed  phrases  " 
He  was  not  at  all  satisfied  with  what  had  been  said  to  them, 


I 


i-  ! 


283 


SKCTOIIIiS   BT   A.  CAMP-FIEE. 


II 


\   f 


c^.M       .7  ;.7'^»^'"^«.  a«  tlioy  were  extremely  hungry  and 
CO  Id  not  deliberate  on  empty  stomachs.     The  LveZr  Z 
old   them  they  were  women,  and   not  the  Lat  C^  ,  *  ^ 

.0;,  would  I,avo  cows  or  b„|l.  r    Tins  little  »„lly  or  b it  "f  bv 
piny  put  then,  all  i,.  g„„d  bu„,or,  a.u,  tbe  cou.fci   clU  ^^i 
ten,  A.  M.  t„-„,.„.,.ow.     The  dignitaries  and  potentates  of  tbis 
reg,..,,  of  tbe  cam,  then  walked  off  majestically  a,  S  prnX 
«nd  these  sto,cs  (?)_tbese  mcu  without  a  tear  (?)-were  Z" 
.0  more.     In  p  ,.iu  terms  they  «»„„,„,,  ,„  ,,o„ble  qulk  t  me 
ugg.„g  off  the  r  tobacco  on  their  shoulders,  and  driWnl  off 
the,r  cattle,  with  loud  shouts,  to  camp,  where  the  rest  of  tl! 
day  was  devoted  to  gormandi.iug,  and  to-night  we  have  h 
let  loose  again  among  them.  fe  i  wo  uaie  hell 

TU.SBAV  16th.-Cloudy,  cold,  windy,  and  rainy     At  dav 
■gl.    a  rn,„storm  set  in  from  the  southeast,  and'co^l^d 

uo«n  to  hfty.four  and  only  rose  to  sixty-one  degrees     No 
conned  was  held  that  day  in  consequence  of  the  stf  m      ill 
I..d,ans  all  invisible;  all  at  home 'in  their  I  dge  ,  s-fci«  ! 
themselves  on  ox  meat  and  pemmican.     Things  very  dulTand 
gloon^y  ,•  everywhere  around  tbe  tent-fires  are  fl.  oxth,gu   C 
and  the  star-spangled  banner  droops  and  banes  stra  X  , 
the  tall  fl.,g  staff,  reared  high  in  al  abov       ?i    'S'i'  tTe' 
court-yard  .s  as  tenacious  as  pitch,  and  glues  a  Z    „      e 
ground  as  soon  as  he  steps  out.     We  were,  therefore   co^! 
polled  to  be  sedentary  ;  spent  the  day.  for  my  own  nmt 
rea. I.ng  ..Major  Long.:  Second  Expedithin  to  t"f  SoZeof 't C 

lL  t'L   ';T.^a1  ^"'''' ^t^'—i  Across  the^Brit!  ^ 
i.me,  m  182.,- 26;     also  prepared  and  packed  up  provisions 


Sii   i 


Tim   OUTWAIvJ   MAKCir. 


0  tlie  point, 
pon  it,  pro- 
«t  two  bul- 
""gry  and 
enior  then 

Chippewa 
ity  as  chil- 
t,  after  lio 
^e  prairies 

1  that  they 
?o  himself 
1  tliem  «*  if 
•  bit  of  by. 
closed  till 
tes  of  this 

proudly ; 
were  seen 
nick  time, 
riving  off 
est  of  the 
have  hell 

At  day. 
'ontinued 

nierciiry 
ees.  No 
m.  The 
iirfeiting 
dull  and 
iguished, 
;ht  down 
id  in  the 
n  to  the 
i*e,  com- 

part,  in 
Je  of  the 

British 
ovisions 


283 


f..r  a  canno  trip  to-morrow  down  to  Selkirk  sottlemcDt,  Fort 
Garry,  &c. 

Wi:i)NKHDAk,    17th.— The   weatlier  has   cleared  off  finely, 
and  is  cool  and  pleasant;  wind  west-southwest,  and  the  sua 
quite  warm  ;  the  nuncury  sixty-one  degrees  at  sunrise.     Rose 
at  daylight  and  prepared  for  a  start  down  the  river,  in  com- 
pany with  the  Rev.  John  Black,  in  a  bark  canoe,  with  two 
Hois  Bru/ca*  as  voyageurs.     Our  canoe  was  fifteen  feot  long, 
and  three  feet  wide,  and  was  pretty  well  loaded  down  with 
ourselves,  our  bedding,  baggage,  and  provisi.-ns.     We  started 
at  seven,  A.  M.,  and  paddled  down  the  crooked,  muddy  river 
at  the  rate  of  some  four  miles  an  hour,  stopping  several  liours 
to  breakfast  and  dinner  upon  the  river  bank,  and  more  fre- 
quently to  haul  out  our  leaky,  frail  canoe,  and  pitch  the  bottom 
with  melted  e])inettc,  a  vegetable  gum  used  for  that  purpose. 
We  saw  large  flocks  of  geese  and  ducks  swimming  among  the 
dead  willows  along  the  banks,  and   could   have   shot   large 
quantities,  but  we  had  not  time  to  stop  and  pick  them  up. 
The  ducks  were  all  quite  tame,  and  would  approach  within  a 
few  feet  of  our  canoe,  being  so  unused  to  the  sight  of  human 
beings  as  to  feel  no  fear.     Other  birds  are  numerous,  among 
wliich  I  notice  the  eagle,  hawk,  crane,  crow,  plover,  blackbird, 
and  pigeon;  also  observed  a  fish-duck  diving  after  fish;  he 
was  a  fine  large  follow,  with  a  long  bill,  and  a  bright  scarlet 
head ;  he  swam  toward  us  boldly,  and  thereby  saved  his  life 
by  his  fearless  confidence. 

Red  river  is  a  very  uninteresting  stream ;  its  waters  are  a 
liquid  mud  and  have  a  very  disagreeable  taste,  and  affect  the 
bowels  of  all  persons  unaccustomed  to  their  use.  The  banks 
of  the  river  are  low,  and  extremely  soft  and  muddy;  you  sink 
in  knee-deep  immediately  on  stepping  foot  on  shore,  where  you 
stick  and  flounder  about  considerably  before  reaching  the  dry, 
hard  prairie-ground  above. 

Along  its  whole  course,  both  banks,  within  the  margin  of 

the  stream,  nre  covered  with  the  thick  growth  of  drowned-out 

willows  before  spoken  of,  while  farther  back  on  the  prairie, 

fiue  large  trees,  majestic  oaks  and  elms,  are  in  the  same  con- 

*  Half-breeds;  the  name  signifies  burned  wood. 


284 


SKKTCHF-S    BT   A   CAMP-FIRE. 


•  i 


'':\ 


I 


flfl 


<l!lIon  •  m„l  „nw  «ln,„l  t,nv.Mi„K  nl..ft  lik«  MrI,,  »,•„„,  „],„,.,.„ 
.o,,,,,,..!..  ,  „.,„vi„«  ,„„  „,„i,. ,,,,  „,„,  |„,„,„t  ,i,^,„  ■  ~^ 

!.<■.«. to,  .„„,„  ,„i,-.v  lW,t  above  M,e  ,v„.„r  l,y  ,1,.,  I,„«vy"  ,  . 
..•<•  .lnn,,B  t ,.  „,„.n,K  ,V,.hI,..,»  ;  and  ,|,„  ,„„,,  „f  „„  .i,/,,,,,,; 
'"  ll'Ht  .CKlit  .«  of  „  dirty  ,„ud  c„l„,,  „|,ie,,,  ^j,,,  „,„  j  , 
'l'"«...vl-.,„t  t.-..,.«,  ,,„,H..,„»  «  v.,y  di»„K,eo,il,lo  a»,,„ct.  1,,' 
«>n.o  ,,lacoH  ,1,0  t„nl,cr  nicroly  skirt-  tl,o  bank,  on  both  „ide, 
nmla  bromi  ox-m„«<,  oxtondH  Car  on  ci.l.or  baud;  at  otbcrB 

'i  ;:::;:,;'•''''" 'r:'";."'  ""•" "'"  ">■«  ■="»  p"--'"- ""-' 

aobtndo  of  dead  and  ,ly„,g  skeleton  trnnks  of  leafless  trees 
1  bere  are  son.o  trnnks  in  tbo  river  ,„„  f,„,„i„g  „  ^,,„ 

^■ater  ,.,  very  ,leep,  current  sluggisb,  „„y  about  one  n.ile  an 
Lnur  generally   and  in  some  places  aln.ost  in,|«rce,,tiblo,  with 
^ot  n,ore  tbau  balf  a  mile  of  straight  channel  at  i  tin,;,  for 
t>lnle  ,t»  g,.neral  course  is  .Ine  „„rU,  it  twists  «„,1  turns  in  a 
very  serpenln.e  n.anuer,  to  all  points  of  tbo  compass.     The 
mer  contains  no  islan.ls,  and  the  only  rapids  arc  .lown  below 
Selk,rk   sett  en,ent.      A  ,iue   s.eau.boat   navigaliou   will   be 
fmnnl  tron,  there  „p  to  the  junction  of  the  Bois  des  Sion..  a 
.stauce  of  nearly  four  hundred  miles  j    and  one  far  better 
l.nn  that  of  the  Mississippi  above  St.  Anthony.     We  passe, 
by  the  months  of  a  nun.ber  of  small  strean.s,  vi...  the  Ile,l 
Grass,  Marms,  (Jratn,ro,  &c.,  which  all  resemble  deep  crooked 
.1.  ches,  and  ),our  out  additional  quantities  Of  thick,  dark  nmd- 
colore,    water,  the  washings  of  the  rich  aud  fertile  prairies, 
now  bloouung  with  numerous  flowers,  through   which   they 

This  is  a  splendid  evening,  tbo  finest  wo  have  had  for  a  long 
t.me  ;  the  sun  ,s  setting  beautifully  into  the  bosom  of  the  far- 
off  pran-,e,  as  .t  were,  while  all  Nature  is  enlm,  still,  and  com- 

the  occasional  ch„-p,ng  of  a  bird,  and  the  rapid  rising  of  the 
scared  w.ld  fowl  from  out  the  smooth,  calm  surface  of  the  wa- 
ter  as  wo  approach.  Wo  halted  at  sunset,  about  forty  miles 
distant  from  Pe.ubn,a,  and  have  a  good  camp  in  a  thick  woods, 
where  the  only  drawback  to  our  comfort  is  the  mosquitoes,  which 


THK  (UJTWAUn   MARCH. 


286 


nre  nn  iisiml  extremely  nnnoyinp  to  n«.     The  warm  mit.  to-day 
unlort.inately  rcvive.l  tl.ein  (Voin  ti.e  torpid  «tate  in  vvliieh  the 
Into  col.l  Hlonn  Inul  tl.ro^vn  then..     Wo  have  our  har  nut  up, 
t«M.t-faMhiou.  the  cornei-N  heinp  faHteut,.!  to  four  Htaken,  and  the 
raised  apex  or  centre  h  Hceured  to  a  hin.t  pole,  which  keepH  it 
npnght  and  tightly  Htretched.     Our  bed  con«iHt8  of  a  roho  and 
three  blankets,  with  our  coats  and  overcoats,  &ic.,  for  pillows 
Wo  are  upon  an  old   can.pi,,^  ground,  whoro  two  hun.lrcd  and 
fifty  cords  <,f  woo.l  has  been  cut  and  piled  around  for  the  uso 
of  the  settlements  below  this  winter.     The  night  is  very  clear 
and  hue,  the  face  of  heaven  is  smiling  amid  myriads  of  twink- 
ling stars;  the  i.orthern  horizon  is  lit  up  with  the  rays  and 
dnncing  bcan.s  of  an  aurora,  while  the  woods  and  silent  flow- 
ing  river  are  illuminated  by  our  camp-f.re  ;  our  voyageurs  are 
fast  asleep  upon   the  ground   before  us,  and  not  a  sound  is 
heard,  save  that  of  the  crackling,  leaping  flames  and  the  low 
tone  of  our  own  voices  as  wo  chat  merrily.     And  now  as  my 
companion  reads  a  chapter  in  his  French  pocket-bible,  and  1 
poMcil  down  these  sketches  of  fact  and  fancy  by  the  light  of 
the  burning  fagots  — but  hark!  we  have  company  it  seems 
nnd  are  not  so  lonely  as  I  thought— that  was  the  hoot-owl's' 
n-y  ;  and  sounds  like  the  wailings  of  a  friend  in  mhery  —  tAat 
wf.s  the  cry,  long  drawn  out  and  dismal,  of  a  distant  wolf- 
and  now  they  are  heard  yelping  and  barking  furiously,  like  a 
pack  of  hungry  curs.     And  what  was  that- more  unearthly 
than  the  fierce  war-whoop,  which  almost  freezes  the  young, 
warm  blood,  and  turns  the  stout,  athletic  frame  to  stone  ?   Was 
it  a  "  demon-spirit  or  goblin  damned,"  or  the  mere  liowling  of 
the  rising  wind,  the  precursor  of  another  storm,  I  see  arising 
in  the  distant  horizon  !     Ha !  I  see  two  gleaming,  fiery  eye- 
balls  in  the  thicket  of  the  underbrush  :  "  Take  that,  to  light 
you  to  better  quarters;"  I  hurl  a  blazing  fire-brand  toward  the 
varmint,  who,  with  another  dismal  ci:y,  leaves  us  to  quietness, 
and  to  repose  and  sleep. 

Thursday,  ISth.— A  fine,  clear,  beautiful  day;  cold  early 
in  the  morning,  and  warm  through  the  day,  with  a  pleasant 
breeze;  the  storm  has  blown  over  for  the  present.  We  were 
up  and  away  at  daylight,  stopping  several  hours  to  dine  and 


i 


!!Iil 


286 


SKETCH  liH   BV    A   CAMP-FIIIE. 


t,i; 


t ' 


..eakfast.     Wlnlo  cooking  „„r  morninR  ,„cal,  ,o,„„  Imlf  ,1„„„ 

.or«„nen  cmnc  galloping  down  tl,«  ,on.l  „lr,„g  ,I,c  „e„tom 

bank,  and  ,„.„«„,,  on  ,|ow„  without  calling  on  n,;  they  w    ^ 

.alf-brccU  retmn,ng  from  .ho  treaty.     There  is  le«.^wood 

and  along  ihe  bank»  to-day,  and  wo  have  a  fine  open  view  of 

the  imn>cnso  prairies  on  either  »ido.     Occasionally  we  nass 

Ijay-stacks,  enclosed  by  a  rndc  fence,  to  which  the  settle 

jIZv  "  "'"  """"  *•""""'  ^''""  "'«  -"'-"«"' 

The  banks  are  still  very  low  and  muddy,  and  eovereJ  with 
a  line  of  the  same  young  dead  willow.     We  camped  to-night 
«ga.n,  on  the  top  of  a  high  bank  we  found  after  a  long  search 
till  dark  for  a  choice  spot.     It  was  covered  over  witif  busie 
and  heavy  timber,  and  alive  with  ravenous  mosquitoes.    The 
evening  ,s  damp  and  cloudy,  heavy  masses  of  dark  c.juds  are 
rising  m  the  west,  and  a  storm  is  coining,  sure.     We  retired 
early  very  much  dissatisfied  at  not  reaching  the  settlements 
to-inght,  which  we  ought  by  all  means  to  have  done.     Our 
voyagcurs,  l,o,vever,  being  paid  so  much  per  day,  have  not 
liumed  themselves;  and,  besides,  our  canoe  is  so  leaky  and 
out  of  order  that  we  have  frequently  to  land,  empty  all  our 
goods  upon  the  muddy  bank,  and  gum  the  bottom  with  melted 
epinette.     We  are,  consequently,  about  twenty  miles  above 
iort  Garry,  and  some  ten  miles  above  the  nearest  house,  at 
t be  upper  end  of  the  Half-Breed  settlement,  which  extends 
along  both  sides  of  the  crooked  river,  in  the  shape  of  a  long 
serpe„t.ne_  village,  down  as  far  as  Fort  Garry,  at  the  mouth 
ot  the  Assiiiiboin. 

^  Friday  September  19.~This  morning  we  arose  at  daylight, 
in  the  mu  St  of  a  dense  fog  and  mist,  wind  northeast ;  cold  and 
raw  and  has  the  appearance  of  another  regularly  built  north- 
easter  At  five,  A.  M..  we  started,  anxious  to  get  down  to  more 
comfortable  quarters;  and  at  half-past  seven  we  came  in  siglit 
of  the  first  houses  j  stopped,  had  breakfast,  and  while  eating 
the  barge  came  up  with  a  large  sail  hoisted,  moving  slowly 
against  the  current,  without  the  asnistance  of  the  oars.  She 
contained  a  hundred  and  sixty  bushels  of  barley,  and  will  be 
ten  days  upon  the  trip;  some  of  the  men  being  sick,  detained 


0  Imlf  dozen 
tl»o  wentern 
;  they  were 

1  less  wood- 
pen  view  of 
•ly  we  pass 
tlio  settlers 
)  flettlcment 

overed  with 
ed  to-night, 
long  search 
vith  bushes 
itoes.     The 
:  t-juds  nro 
We  retired 
settlementd 
done.     Our 
,  have  not 
leaky  and 
pty  all  our 
rith  melted 
liles  above 
t  house,  at 
di  extends 
}  of  a  long 
the  mouth 

t  daylight, 
;  cold  and 
uilt  north- 
vn  to  more 
le  in  siglit 
ile  eating 
ng  slowly 
ars.  She 
id  will  bo 
,  detained 


THE  OUTWAKD  MARCH. 


287 


them  lon:^^  ■  than  they  should  have  been.     We  then  proceeded 
on  dow    t,,  ,,^.^^^  .^         ^^^^  ^^^  ^  ^^  P  _  cee     d 

uge  rolling  waves,  nearly  all  the  balance  of  the  day,  although 
the  distance  by  land  was  but  nine  miles  to  Fort  Garry  As 
we  were  much  retarded,  we  at  length  deserted  our  voyageurs 
and  canoe,  and  taking  to  the  shore,  we  walked  on  down  the 
sett  en^onts  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  at  times  foil  Z  ng  a 

fie tr;   f  "^  ''"  "'"'  "^^  ^""  ^^'^"^^  ^  --  ->t  through 
he  woods  from  po.nt  to  point,  and  cutting  off  the  bends.    After 
losing  ourselves  several  times,  and  only  finding  our  way  w  th 
considerable  search  and  clifficulty,  we  Lally  arrived  op^posie 
he  fort  at  three,  P.  M.,  heartily  fatigued  aiul  glad  to  rest  It 
be  house  of  M.  Narcisse  Marion,  a  French-Can'ad  U  and  tl  e 
^.  l.er.in-law  of  N.  W.  Kittson,  Esq.     We  found  him  v    " 
kind,  hospitable,  and  communicative,  and  anxious  to  hear  the 
.ews  ft-om  above;  i.  e.  from  Pembina,  St.  Paul,  and  elsewhe 
In  an  hour  our  boat  arrived,  and  we  then  proceedod  on  down 
to    he  residence  of  Mr.  Alexander  Ross,  on  the  west  side  o^ 

us  on  the  bank  welcomed  us  to  Selkirk,  and  escorted  us  up  to 
Ins  house  ;  a  white,  rough-cast,  two  story  stone,  which  stands 
upon  a  large  bend  of  the  river,  and  command    a  W  w  both 

rjUg  timr ''-'' "  ^^^"^"^^ '''  '-^^ '  '-^  -- '- 

FIRST   GLANCE   AT   SELKIRK    SETTLEMENT. 

A  Village  of  farmhouses,  with  barns,  stables,  hay,  wheat, 
and  barley-stacks,  with  small  caUivated  fields  or  bts  we 
fenced,  are  stretched  along  the  meandering  river,  while  the 
pra,r,os  far  off  to  the  horizon  are  covered  over  with  herds  f 
cattle,  horses,  &c..  the  fields  filled  with  a  bnsy  throng  of 
wh,  es,  half-breeds  and  Indians-men,  squaws,  and  children 
-all  reaping,  binding,  and  stacking  the  golden  grain;  while 
hundreds  of  carts,  with  a  single  horse  or  ox,  harne^ssed  in  their 
shafts,  are  brought  m  requisition  to  cany  it  to  the  well-stored 
barn,  and  are  seen  moving,  with  their  immense  loads  rolling 
along  like  huge  stacks,  in  all  directions,    Add  to  this  the  nu- 


288 


SKKTCHES   BY   A    CAMP-FIRE. 


■;'« 


K  ''■'     < 


■  1 


S,     .f. 


meroiis  windmills,  some 
arms,  while  others  motionl 


ill  motiou  whirling  nround  their  giant 
'ess  are  waiting  for  "  a  grist."     J„8t 


above,  Fort  Garry   sits  in  the   angle  at  the 


.....         ,  ^  "  —   ^..f^.^  «„   L,ic  junctior  of  tlip 

Assuubom  and  Red  rivers,  with  a  blood-red  flag  inscribed  with 

be  letters  H.  B  Co.,  floating  ga.ly  in  the  breefe.  Opposile  is 
t.ie  cathohc  cathedral,  built  of  stone  in  1832,  and  still  unfin- 
i«hed.  Ihe  bare,  rough,  nnplastered  wall,  in  front,  is  cracked 
and  shattered,  and  is  surmoupted  by  two  steeples  ;  one  fin- 
ished   and  containing  a  chime  of  bells;  the  bare  timbers  of 

he  other  tower  aloft,  dark  with  age  and  nakedness.  I  visited 
the  interior  this  afternoon,  and  found  a  very  spacious  nave 
which  was  being  remodeled,  as  also  the  galleries;  and  men 
were  at  work  on  scaffolding,  painting  the  arched  ceiling  of  a 
deep  mazarene  blue,  and  ornamenting  it  with  wreaths  and 
festoons  of  flowers ;  the  work,  so  far  as  completed,  is  done  in 
a  very  artist-hke  manner.  A  number  of  priests  reside  upon 
the  spot ;  a  large  trame  convent  painted  red  adjoins  it  on  the 
so- til  and  the  congregation  is  composed  principally  of  half- 
breeds  from  up  lied  river.  ^         r     j 

For  a  distance  of  two  miles  up  the  Assiniboin  river,  to  the 
west    are  seen  the  farms   and  dwellings  of  the  pensioners; 
the  former  well  ^.nced  and  cultivated,  the  latter  of  frame  and 
logs,  cue  story  high,  mostly  rough-cast,  or  white-washed  over 
with  gardens,  &c.,  attached,  and  comfort  and  plenty  attend- 
ing and  smiling  around  them.     Many  other  objects  of  interest 
worthy  ot  notice  stnke  the  eye,  but  the  above  suffices  for  a 
fiist  glance  at  Selkirk.     The  scene  that  has  met  my  eyes  this 
afternoon,  has  become  daguerreotyped  upon  my  optics,  never 
to  be  effaced.     As  I  saw  thee  to-day,  Selkirk,  so  shall  I  al- 
ways see  thee;  and  to  the  latest  hour  of  my  existence,  thy 
beauties,  as  faintly  portrayed  above,  will,  to  my  mind's  eve 
at  least,  remain  indelibly  imprinted.     We  spent  the  night  with 
Mr  Ross  and  family,  and  found  him  to  be  a  very  intelligent 
and  interesting  old  gentleman,  full  of  information  as  regards 
h.s  northwest  region,  and  of  Selkirk  colony  in  particulai:  He 
has  published  a  book  descriptive  of  the  country  west  of  the 
Rocky  mountains,  Vancouver's,  and  the  Pacific  coast,  where 
he  spent  some  fifteen  years  of  his  life,  prior  to  1825,  since 


THE   OUTWAKD   MARCH. 


280 


and  Mc.s."   Pe  fey,TrV„JTo"' "  ''  •'"  '"''  °'-  ^''-"' 
fort  i.  tl.o  fi       1     "^  '  -Logfi",  junior.     Close  by  the 

toit  IS  the  fine  large  mansion-house  of  Mr  M'Dprm.ff 

of  the  set«e.  ent  T;.,if  Tf  "f  I  '"""'"'  "^""^  ''''' ''"J-'- 
eon.pn.hedrrrof  it''  o  t  .nT  fa^*^;"!'  t-'""  ""<•  "■•'- 
aronnd,  an.l  „,uch  pleasant  on«™toti„Z"".  "'' f^'f' 
a  .t.-a„go,.,  found  .n^elf  ataost        .  ol     wfo  e^Jdt'  '' 

...ott  can  talk  mo.e  and  fo     I^,,!  , ??" ,    uf''    ^''-  "'^^^• 

»et  befo..e,  and  would  1,  ""  J  VZ  J^f,  r^"  ^^  '  -« 

"orrow,  without  tirins.     I  had  all  H     V        ^^^^  ^' ^'"™ '"• 

"aketheaccjuaiutancf  of  It'll  T         T'  '?  ""''  ""^ 
the  ili^fr.„/iK™W,  the  n,os,  ^1  ,  '  ^ '' ^'/'T^'-'j'  «<!"»' of 

^M.-.  Tho.  i.  a  ,,aj4 1:'!. '  .'/ir  !:i' :  f- * '-  ^'""'^''- 

'     '  '^'J  aeuve,  energetic, 


ii 


290 


SKETCHES   BY   A    CAMP-FIRE. 


I.  ! 


:H:,.;.t 


and  possessed  of  considerable  tfilent.  He  is  at  present  tlie 
clerk  of  the  court,  at  a  salary  of  £750  per  annum,  though  lie  is 
not  allowed  to  act  as  such,  or  enter  the  court,  so  objectionable 
is  he  to  the  half-breed  population ;  and  an  editorial  published 
in  the  Herald,  during  the  Canadian  troubles  in  1837,  it  seems 
has  arrayed  the  French-Canadians,  too,  in  deadly  hostility 
against  his  person.  Numerous  threats  have  been  made  against 
him  ;  and  his  life  heretofore,  at  times,  has  not  been  safe.  Away 
with  politics,  however;  I  did  not  intend  to  touch  on  this;  and 
so,  kind  reader,  a  good  night  to  yon.  "The  iron  tongue  of 
midnight  has  tolled  twelve,"  and  I'll  see  Selkirk  shovelled  off 
down  Red  river,  an  island  made  of  it  in  the  very  centre  of  Lake 
Winnepcg,  before  I  will  write  another  word  to-night. 

Sunday,  2l8t.— The  weather  this  morning  is  cloudy,  with  a 
Scotch  mist  at  times  ;  afternoon  warm,  clear,  and  pleasant.     I 
started  tliis  morning  on  horseback,  in  company  with  Mr.  Bal- 
lintine,  to  see  a  portion  of  the  lower  settlement,  down  Red 
river.     We  rode  over  a  good  road,  about  one  hundred  yards  in 
width,  which  extends  to  the  rear  of  the  line  of  houses,  a  row 
of  five-acre  fields  lying  in  between  ;   while  on  the  river-bank, 
in  front,  there  is  nothing  but  a  footpath.     The  English  and 
Scotch  portions  of  the  settlements  extend  in  a  continuous  vil- 
lage along  both  banks,  following  all  th(;  tarns  of  the  crooked 
river,  from  the  upper  to  the  lower  Fort  Garry,  a  distance  of 
twenty  miles.     The  latter  is  called  the  stone  fort,  is  much  the 
largest  and  best,  and  is  the  residence  of  Governor  Colville  of 
Prince  Rupert's  Land.     Below  this  fort  an  Indian  village  ex- 
.  tends  for  miles  ;  while  up  the  Assiniboin,  scattered  settlements 
of  pensioners  and  half-breeds  stretch  along  to  White-Horse 
plain,  a  distance  of  some  twenty-five  miles ;  making  in  all  an 
extei.ded  settlement  of  whites,  half-breeds,  and   Indians,  of 
nearly  seventy  miles,  and  comprising  a  population  of  whites 
and  half-breeds  of  some  six  thousand  souls.     We  rode  down 
about  ten  miles,  to  the  middle  or  log  church ;  the  othei-  two, 
one  of  which  is  of  stone,  are  situated  at  each  end  of  the  Eng- 
lish settlement,  near  the  forts,  so  that  no  one  has  to  travel  over 
a  distance  of  five  miles  to  some  one  of  the  three :   quite  a  de- 
sideratum in  the  winter,  when  the  thermometer  is  down  to 


^riWARD  MARrri. 


291 


and  others  a    of  ZlZ  I       ''  t'  "T"'  '*""•  •^"'"'  '^'"'P'"'"''- 

the  states.     I  met  t  ,e  „eol^*      .      ""^  '""'^'''"  «<'«'™''"'  i" 
™me  o„  foot,  ZX  IXZ:7  ""^  '"  ^'"•"=''  *"-''»y- 

e.e. ...  we,,  dressed  .:r^^r:!::;  ■"  "-^  ^'^''^■'  ^•^■"■ 

t..e  river    vl,T.1, 1,     f''™«>- "'"^  «  frontage  of  six  chains  npon 

;;.e  fort ;  t„f  .,a,a::"r  XtioL'rr  t  J:: ;::  :r^:  :,^r» 

coulrlTp    f  1  ^^\^'^"gh  much  better  off  than  they  ever 

couifi  be  at  home,  vet  T  am  f^lrJ  *7.^,  -^ 

I'M.  as  a  pol.ce  force  in  case  of  an  emergence  ^        '" 

1  had  tlie  pleasure  of  meeting  the  ladies  of  th.  f„  .  .i  • 

'  noiv.rer,  and  remained  brigi.t,  clear,  and 


292 


SKFrcm-:s  by  a  camp-fire. 


m  ' 


warm,  and  now  at  last  seems  like  a  delightful  Indian  summer. 
After  buying  up  all  the  half-breed  and  Indian  curiosities,  and 
everything  else  of  interest  I  could  find,  I  bade  adieu  to  every- 
body ;   wrote  a  hasty  letter  to  the  people  of  St.  Paul,  by  an 
express  which  starts  immediately ;   dined  once  more  with  the 
very  clever  fellows  at  the  fort,  and  then  with  much  reluctance 
started  homeward.    And  now,  in  leaving  this  hospitable  colony, 
I  desire  to  pay  this  tribute  to  its  people.     Amid  all  my  wan- 
derings over  this  earth  of  ours,  I  have  never  been  more  kindly 
treated,  nor  made  the  friendship  of  a  more  whole-souled  peo- 
ple ;  I  have  never  in  so  short  a  time  become  so  much  attached 
to  any  place,  nor  left  it  with  one  half  the  keen  regret,  I  now 
do  this.     As  I  pass  slowly  along  the  lonely  road  that  leads  me 
from  thee,  Selkirk,  mine  eyes  do  turn  continually  to  gaze  upon 
thy  smiling,  golden  fields,  and  thy  lofty  towers  now  burnished 
with  the  rays  of  the  departing  sun ;    while  the  sweet  vesper- 
bell  reverberates  afar,  and  strikes  so  mournfully  pleasant  upon 
mine  ear.     I  feel  satisfied  that,  though  absent  thousands  of 
weary  miles,  my  thoughts  will  always  dwell  on  thee  with  rap- 
turous emotion. 

Prmbina,  Thursday,  S^th.  —  Cloudy,  with  rain,  thunder,  and 
lightning,  in  tlie  afternoon.  I  reached  here  yesterday  even- 
ing, stiff  and  sore  from  the  long  march  of  seventy  miles ;  and 
found  that  most  of  our  party  had  started  down  Red  river,  on 
Monday  morning  last,  in  two  canoes,  with  eight  Boif  Brules  in 
each.  As  I  came  by  land,  I  missed  them  all.  The  treaty  M'as 
concluded  on  Saturday  evening  last,  having  occupied  «11  the 
week.     The  Indians  and  half-breeds  have  all  left. 

Friday,  26th. — Cloudy,  cold,  and  windy  from  the  north; 
very  unpleasant.  Mr.  Kittson's  ten  carts  started  for  the  fall 
hunt  of  buffalo,  and  will  wait  for  the  balance  of  the  ]t.".!ty  at 
the  mountain  till  our  arrival  next  week  —  at  which  pl.uc  the 
governor  promised  to  meet  and  speak  to  the  assembled  half- 
breeds.  The  brother  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tanner  arrived  from  the 
plains  yesterday,  with  his  cart  surmounted  with  an  immense 
pair  of  elk-liorns,  which  we  intend  to  take  with  us  to  St.  Paul. 
They  are  the  largest  I  have  over  seen,  have  some  ten  prongs, 
and  measure  about  five  feet  from  point  to  point.     Alth(tu-h 


THE   OUTWARD   MARCH. 


in  summer. 
>sities,  and 
I  to  every- 
aul,  hy  an 
e  with  the 
rehictance 
l>le  colony, 
1  my  wan- 
^re  kindly 
mled  peo- 
1  attached 
ret,  I  now 
t  leads  me 
^aze  upon 
burnished 
3t  vesper- 
sant  upon 
Lisands  of 

with  rap- 
in  dcr,  and 
ilay  even- 
iles ;  and 

river,  on 

Brules  in 

reaty  M'as 

d  «.]]  the 

le  north  ; 
r  the  fall 

]ir.rty  at 
[)l.-u'c  the 
lied  half- 

from  the 

immense 

St.  Taul. 

1  prongs, 

A.]th(iU;;h 


293 


Tanner  is  a  half-breed,  and  dresses  like  them,  he  ranks  as  a 
chief  among  the  Chippewas,  and  should  have  been  present  at 
the  treaty.  lie  says  he  kept  away  on  purpose,  apprehend- 
ing difficulty  :  a  wily  sort  of  politician  in  Indian  tactics,  it 
seems,  like  some  of  our  own  vote-dodgers.  He  is  a  very  tall, 
muscular,  and  active  fellow,  with  a  very  dark  complexion,' 
long,  dark  hain  and  black  eyes,  and  is  from  forty-five  to  fifty 
years  of  age.  ^ 

He  is  one  of  Mr.  Kittson's  most  successful  and  reliable  hunt- 
ers, and  brings  in  annually  about  five  hundred  dollars'  worth 
of  furs.  Unlike  the  res^,  he  is  very  careful  and  prudent  of  his 
money,  rather  close  in  his  dealings,  strictly  honest,  with  an 
aversion  to  getting  in  debt. 

He  has  a  family,  consisting  of  an  Indian  wife  and  half  a 
dozen  children,  who  accompany  him  upon  his  hunts,  and  spend 
the  winters  out  on  the  Missouri  plains,  and  aJong  the  As'^ini- 
boin,  inside  of  the  British  line.  He  left  to-day  for  the  Mount- 
ain and  Selkirk  settlement,  to  get  such  of  his  supplies  as  were 
not  to  be  obtained  at  this  place;  his  brother,  the  Rev.  James 
Tanner,  accompanying  him. 

I  feel  much  interested  in  them,  on  account  of  their  father, 
John  Tanner,  whose  own  published  narrative  I  expect  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  reading,  and  of  whose  history  I  have  read  an 
interesting  sketch  in  Major  Long's  second  expedition  to  these 
regions,  besides  gleaning  considerable  verbal  information  from 
different  persons  here  concerning  him. 

Saturday,  27th.- A  fair,  clear,  and  very  pleasant  day;  the 
sun  warm,  atmosphere  hazy,  and  a  pleasant  breeze  prevailing 
—  regular  Indian  summer,  superlatively  fine  in  the  fortv-ninth 
degree.  Things  are  very  dull  here  at  present,  and  all  hands 
long  to  be  off. 

The  dragoons  are  busy  cleaning  up  carbines,  pistols,  knives, 
&c.,  and  getting  ready  for  the  homeward  march,  and  lots  of 
buffalo-cows  and  .  -r.  Some  twenty-five  lodges  of  Indians 
are  still  present,  "  loafing"  around  by  day,  and  singing  and 
dancu.g  all  night  long,  beating  drums,  and  making  the  dark 
ness  generally  as  hideous  as  night  was  ever  made 

xli}  iied-iake  Indians  have  all  left  for  home.     They  are  a 


294 


SK11T0IIF3   BY    A    CAMr-FIRR. 


better  „„,]  n,orc  provia™*  ela-M,  it  scms  «,»]  raise  Urg,  „„.„. 

gro«-  wmter  «,„l  „pri„g  „i„,„t  i„  ,,nfrcti,.,>.  Tl,e  Rev  J  P 
«-,hvell,  t  ,e  agent  f„r  tl,c  Oberli,,  i,„ar,I  of  ,„!,«„„«,  „„d  lUv' 
b.  «x.  Wng  ,t,  who  ,s  stationed  at  Red  Lake,  left  l.ere  for  tl,a 
plaee  on  Monday  last,  ti.ey  Laving  been  down  to  Selkirk  for 
Bomo  stock-eattle.  Bed  lake  is  about  one  hundred  „  est 
.1.0  southeast  of  Pembina,  and  is  in  latitude  forty-eigh,  deg  e 
-be.ng  far  to  the  north  and  west  of  Lake  Itasea.'thc  son  „ 
ot  tlie  Mississippi. 

Sunday,  ^^Sth.-Another  fine,  clear,  beautiful  clay;  the  mer- 
ciny  rose  to  seventy-two  degrees.  I  am  told  tliere  was  ice 
tins  morning,  though  I  did  not  see  it.  The  first  frost  in  this 
valley,  north  of  the  line,  occurred  on  the  morning  of  the  24th 
and  It  was  a  very  heavy  one.  I  gathered  wild-flowers  in  the 
gardens  at  Selkirk,  two  days  previously,  in  latitude  fifty  de- 
grees.  ■^     ^ 

I  took  a  ride  to-day  into  her  majesty's  possessions,  and  called 
at  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  post  just  across  the  line.    Snout 
some  hours  very  pleasantly  with  the  employers,  who  are  in  the 
service,    as  they  term  it.     The  party  of  Bois  BruUs,  sixteen 
m  number,  who  accompanied  the  governor's  partv  down  the 
river,  returned  by  land  this  morning,  with  their  canoes  on  carts. 
Ihey  left  on  Thursday,  and  reported  that  his  excellency  and 
suite  would  be  here  to-night.     They  did  not  come,  and  to  pre- 
vent our  disappointment  we  were  treated  to  another  brilliant 
display  of  aurora  borealis.  almost  equal  .to  the  one  described 
on  the  6th  instant. 

Monday,  29th.- Cloudy,  foggy,  and  misty,  till  ten,  A.  M  • 
the  rest  of  the  day  warm  and  fine.  The  mercury  rose  to  sev- 
enty-seven degrees. 

Hugh  Tyler  and  Lieutenant  Oorley  arrived  on  panting  and 
foaming  steeds,  at  ten,  A.  M.,  having  rode  from  the  Rmere 
l^ratuiro,  thirty  miles,  since  six,  A.  M.  The  governor,  Dr 
Foster,  and  guide,  arrived  an  hour  after.  They  left  Fort 
Garry  on  Saturday  afternoon;  camped  out  two  nights  by  the 
way ;  had  a  tent  and  cart,  plenty  of  provisions,  and  got  along 
right  pleasantly.     They  were  much  pleased  with  fl.n  r.u.1 


I'irg*  quan- 
iiiiHsioiinrieH 
e  Kev.  J.  p. 
18,  and  Itev. 
lere  for  tliat 

Selkirk  for 
ed  miles  to 
gilt  degrees 
>  the  source 


THE  OUTWARD   MARCH. 


290 


and  people  and  were  feasted  to  perfection  -  were  almost 
knled  w.  h  k.ndness,  and  are  still  suffering  from  the  effects  of 
.  1  hnd  they  were  nearly  as  much  pleased  with  everything 
they  saw  as  I  was  myself,  and  were  made  perfect  lions  of,  com 
panng  their  reception  to  that  of  old  Kentucky  and  Virginia 
hospitalities  of  fifty  years  ago.  ^ 


y;  themer- 
Jre  was  ice 
Vost  in  this 
f  the  24th, 
ivers  in  the 
le  fifty  de- 


and  called 
ne.    Spent 

are  in  the 
^cs,  sixteen 

down  the 
3S  on  carts. 
Ilency  and 
md  to  pre- 
;r  brilliant 

described 


* 


3n,  A.  M.  ; 

)se  to  sev- 


nting  and 
e  Hivihre 
irnor,  Dr. 
left  Fort 
its  by  the 
got  along 
;hn   place 


m  1 


296 


8KrOTCHF.;8    BY    A    CAMP-FIJtE. 


f  » 


.   ( 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    IIOMEWAHD    MARCH. 

TunsDAv,  Sf.pt.  30. -Wo  aro  busy  to-<l„y  preparing  for  a 

6  lie,  am  camped,  to  a«ait  the  arrival  of  tl,e  barley  from  Sel- 
kiik,  which  18  all  ihat  detains  ns  now. 

An  Indian  talk  and  council  can.e  off  this  morning  in  our 

t  le  tieaty.    He  came  m  «,m  cermnonie.  followed  by  about 
tb.rty  others,  all  smoking,  and  affecting  great  dignity     M 
banner  was  sent  for,  to  act  as  interpreter;  and,  aft  f ;„  f„ 
pu-ssive  silence,  the  great  orator  deigned    o  spjak      hT«^ 

but  such  as  It  wa:   he  gave  freely  and  without  restraint     Ho 

t  at  he  had  been  siek,  and,  if  well  at  the  time  of  the  treaty  i! 
would  not  have  been  formed,  &c.  ^' 

■  .ir«ch  other  talk  to  the  same  purpose  followed  this,  and  the 
governor  then  replied  in  a  long  explanatory  speech,   o"w,h 

"^"l"-  • '™   ""'"g  "f  ""CO  from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculouT 

uul  no  mo.e  !  \\  e  having  „o  beef  left,  gave  them  a  lot  of  to- 
bacco,  and  so  broke  up  the  oouferencelthe  dignitai  es  de- 
p.mn.g.  a  ter  shaking  hands  all  round,  and  apptiro  tly  w  1 
tis  ,ed  w.  h  their  success.  This  scone  occupied'  an  hour.  Id 
.ts  piincpal  effect  was  to  retard  our  dinner  just  that  much  the 
council  being  in  our  dining-room. 


TTIK    IIOMi:WA«D    MAKOn. 


297 


i'ing  for  a 
tho  iVm- 
tlie  otjier 
from  Sel- 

ig  in  our 
tl  "  Clear 
:1  to  sign 
by  about 
ity.     Mr. 
3r  an  im- 
Hc  vma 
anted  to, 
int.     He 
'-,  stating 
treaty,  it 

and  the 
;o  which 
of  meat 
liculous, 
pedition 
)t  of  to- 
nes de- 
ly  well 
)ur,  and 
leh,  the 


Wrdnesday,  Oct.  1.  — Tool  weather,  will 


west.     1^1 


I  a  raiiistoi  .11 ;  wind 


ny  weigliing  ;uid  j»i(>|)aring  otir  freight  and  I 


)a 


p:R»g 


m\ 


and  gott.ng  .vady  for  a  start  homeward.  'J'he  carts  are  all 
loaded  and  sent  over  the  Pend.ina.  together  with  the  horses, 
all  ready  for  a  start  to-morrow.  This  evening  is  wild  and 
tempestuous,  with  rain;  the  howling  winds  sound  dismally, 
ano  are  prognostics  of  the  approach  of  rude,  rough  winter.  It 
18  time  we  were  off  for  the  city  of  Bt.  Paul.  We  expect  fine 
weather  yet,  as  the  Indian  summer  is  to  come.  We  are  well 
prepared  at  all  points  to  make  our  journey  pleasant;  have  a 
good  stock  of  provisions,  which,  with  plenty  of  buffalo-cow  and 
bear,  will  feast  us  most  luxuriously.  Well,  "  a  good  digestion 
waits  on  appetite,  and  health  on  both."  We  are  all  improving 
finely,  and  hope  for  a  still  pleasanter  journey  homeward  than 
we  had  M'hen  outward  hound. 

TjHHisDAY,  2d.- Weather  cloudy,  cold,  and  windy;  very 
raw  and  boisterous  from  the  north.  A  very  good  hint  for  us 
t«i^  be  upon  our  southern  march.  We  took  it,  and  left  imtantcr, 
after  a  three-weeks'  residence  at  Pembina  and  Selkirk  settle- 
ment. 

Governor  Ramsey,  Mr.  Tyler,  Dr.  Foster,  Pierre  Bottineau, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  N.  W.  Kittson  and  Charles  Cavileer.  Esq., 
left  for  the  Pembina  mountain,  or  new  town  of  St.  Joseph,' 
thirty  miles  to  the  west,  on  Pembina  river.     They  expect  to 
meet  there  the  assembled  half-breed  hunters,,  who  are  about 
starting  on  their  buffalo-hunts,  and  afterward  rejoin  us  at  our 
second  night's  camp,  on  Tongue  river.     The  dragoons  and  the 
balance  of  our  party,  with  the  carts,  are  also  off,  and  are  dimly 
seen  ftir  away  upon  the  prairie.     I  am  alone  in  the  deserted 
camp;  a  solitary  half-breed  hunter  holds  my  horse,  as,  lying 
by  the  blazing  fire,  I  write  these  random  sketches,  and  rumi- 
nate for  a  long,  long  time.     But  I  must  put  up  book  and  pencil, 
and  away.     Good-by,  my.  lonely  half-breed  — good-by,  Pem- 
bina :  I  shall  never,  perhaps,  set  foot  within  your  bounds  again  ; 
and  although  I  have  almost  left  my  heart  at  Selkirk,  far  be- 
yond thee,  I  still  turn  gladly  with  my  back  to  the  rude  north 
blasts,  and  look  forward  to  a  meeting  with  older,"  warmer,  and 
truer  southern  friend'   to  whom  I  hasten.    Adios  I 

13» 


cttl     I 

II 


II -I? 


*  '^ 


ii 


2DS 
0 


II  r 


l>rA'ty 


f=KETciii<:s  nr  a  campfirf;. 
Jh   increased   I,y  M.o  addition  of  M.  I 


.y;"«ng-  cntl.ollc  pri.Ht,  who  J.as  I 


"I.  I-ielcoiirl 


»  •'••"I  is  now  on  I 


"•e»  living  at  St.  J„8(.nl 


ccombe,  a 


"nil  tli(!  stiitM.     IIu 


■  IN    W 


I'"  ivitli 


messes  with  ,|s,  „„(| 


<ty  t«  Jlontioil  via  St.  I'aiil 


and  accomplishcl  young  fen""     T.' """  ", /' «'T  «g.oo„l,le 

^i".-.  '■"lf-l'-o.I;alao  Jol5:-,,,t"cr    vv"'^""'/  ^'^'"- 
t"".   over  the  san.o  route  wccalrrr^'"^;     ^' ^'^  "- 

oi.twarJ  n.arcl,,  „„,.  Z   "2,^-'^    .  "',"""''^  "'  "'"'»  "n  "« 
at  all;  I  win  idZt^lt""'"'  "- '— a-l 'oute 

'-.etr  ■e"tX?:f;7:',^f  --  '>■"«  ^a.     I  .,e  ,„ 

a-1  -ea.,  "Si.pso^^i^tf/o^.     -^f;  "^  ^Ta '^"'"^  '"""'' 
llie  spot  w  iprp  tl.o  f,.„   •  ^"^liies.        vVe  are  now  near 

cioati;  and  n .  ^  r,?:;::n  •""""'  ""-'="  ™'""' '» ■■' 

I  Lave  felt  much     tc,-  It  ".'■  -       »">"ranio„s,  J„„e  14. 1840. 

>""".  and  Ms  nntinX  eatl '  ll"'™  ™  "'',  "■"  ""^""""""^ 
;et".n  to  tl,e  states,  with  tte  'ews  o  'r"  t  V"''""  ""  '''" 
locame  deranged  from  ovo,  ev    ,  ""  "''""^ries,  I.e 

e.ldoratious,a^Kli„riitrfmrdne?",  °"  "'^  ^""•J"''"^  '"» 
and  then  committed  suicilHeT  *T"  """^  ^"^"S™™ 

at;.;e  time,  to  -.muni:!:  .^^       ^  ^  ^^V"  ^r'^"''' 

MoNDAv,  6th.-Most  beautiful  weatl.er      T„  ^ 
set  fire  to  tlie  urairie,  1„.  ,„  •.   "    .""^'-      -lo-day  we  liave 

!-rs  it  bae.  on  „3  witl  fsToti  „:r;;;":'.  t\--="  ^in,, 
111  immense  clouds  of  smoko  H„  °  7",^'  «'» are  enveloped 
tlie  after„oon-the  fire  roaw;  T,'^  "'""''  '™  "avelled  all 
l^eeidedl,  bot  and  un^  XSe  T':  au""  ""'^^^  "'"•  ^-'• 
mometer  to-„igbt  I  found  it  t„L      We      ,!  °"'  T  "'"" 

carried  in  t.:  ;llZ  o;^:^!':;""™  "''""  "^ 


THE    nOAIEWARD   MAi,;CIT. 


299 


Tuesday,  7tli.--Tli 


iiiovniji 


0  8iin  rose  red  and  fiery  through  the 
ig's  miBty  Imzp,  and  ap])..nr(Ml  to  be  of  the  shape  of  a 
perfect  dome,  like  that  of  the  capitol  at  Washington— it  was 
extremely  beautiful. 

This  morning,  when  near  Goose  river,  we  discovered  our 
first  two  buffalo,  about  a  mile  to  the  left  of  the  road.  The 
dragoons  gave  chase  to  one,  and  killed  him  after  a  long  run 
At  noon  our  hunters,  who  had  been  on  a  scout  ahead,  returned 
with  the  tongues  and  a  portion  of  the  flesh  of  five  buffalo  they 
had  just  killed,  and  reported  large  droves  ahead.  We  of  course 
had  the  meat  for  dinner,  broiled  and  fried,  besides  pork  and 
ham,  potatoes,  coffee,  etc. ;  in  fact,  a  first-rate  dinner.  Wo  are 
cenainly  living  on  the  fat  of  the  land,  though  as  far  as  the 
buffalo  are  concerned,  it  is  decidedly  the  lean  kind  of  the 
prairie  — the  flesh  being  both  lean  and  tough—as  we  find 
nothing  but  bulls  — the  cows  at  this  season  of  the  year  being 
all  to  themselves,  and  undisturbed  by  their  brutish  lords. 

After  dinner  we  soon  came  among  the  buffalo,  and  found 
large  numbers  along  both  sides  of  the  road.  We  immediately 
darted  m  among  them,  pell-mell,  each  fellow  for  himself,  and 
then  such  yelling,  shouting,  firing,  shying  of  horses,  as  their 
riders,  with  belted- waists,  and  handkerchiefs  round  their  heads 
swayed  to  and  fro  in  their  saddles,  loading  and  firing  while  at 
tiiU-speed,  and  in  a  manner  that  would  have  done  credit  to 
Kmggold's  flying  artillery  at  Palo  Alto. 

We  soon  had  a  number  down,  and  then  I  reined  up  on  the 
brow  of  a  hill  to  reconnoitre.  Horsemen  were  scouring  hither 
and  thither  over  the  -rairie,  in  all  directions,  the  smoke  of 
then  rifles  curling  up  above  their  heads,  as,  riding  at  full 
speed,  side  and  side,  and  neck  and  neck,  with  the  savage, 
shaggy,  beasts,  pouring  in  their  broadsides  into  them,  till  one 
by  one,  the  huge  animals  went  down  and  bit  the  dust,  while  a 
hurrah,  and  wild,  triumphant,  shout  came  ringing  across  the 
prairie-surface,  proclaiming  the  success  of  the  elated  hunters, 
feingle  buffalo,  small  droves,  and  large  herds,  were  tearing 
around  full-speed,  occasionally  halting  to  paw  the  dust,  and 
bid  defiance  to  the  pursuers.  I  helped  run  down  anrl  nil  r.,,, 
share  at  leas 


The  last  I  ran  a  mile  or  two,  and  finally,  ho 


800 


^KFTCMKS    BV    A    rAMP-FIRF. 


•"•1   plunging  w    1,     n  L         O       ''""-"-"•  '—  -nng 

encl.cn.LcI  hi»  «1,  !l  .i,:     1"":'  "'7*''.  tl.o  «ir,  „,„I  ,, 

liill,  and  l,o„,IIong  pitel„.,r!'l  '  "  "f^ff '"g  -'"wn  tU 

«i.le,  mingling  ™      ami  Z  T    '^"".'""^  '"  J"''  ''•""•  »"'  ''i" 

cock,  ifwas!::" :;-':■- T •---' " ^'--"^ 

Button,"  a8  Lord  «nnl,l  ,1, 1 1  •  ^  ''''  "  '""•"«  "  Billy 

till  atU-acting    1  :t^„    ':'""'"{•  'Z"''  "'"  ""■""'•-"  ''"-^ 
giving  a  „,.,n1,cr  of  s  ceo  sh'e  1  „  '5  "''"■'''  ''"^''  "*  ''""• 

Lobbied  horse,  wh  .  li ,,;  jl.^'"''''  ""^  "'""'"^  »''%  Hko  « 
Thus  repeatedly  would  L^hI,  "J'"  '""  '"'  "'"'  «'"■ 
yards  or  more,  leaWng  no^,  ^  'v.^^"     f  '"'  '"'■  "  '"'""'■''' 

wuch  the  «rectators^:3;;?;:i:r;:v''' t  •;:;';/";•'  -' 

all,  about  twenty,  anrl  foot  ^  *  .1    •       ^•>-      *^  ^'  Killed,  m 

carcasses  to  the^'wtul   "Ve"  a'^"  in'^f'T'  'T"'  '"" 
tliousnnd,  the  plains    as  f-,r  IT'  '      ""^  ""  '"  'c" 

dotted  wit,.the':;''v:„i:;t„r.t'i:'''  ""^  '^-'-^ 

us,  some  within  half  a  mile.  ^  ^  ""  ""  '"•"'""i 

M-EDNESD.iv,  Sth.— A  beautiful  warm  cle- ,.  i  -nr 

up  at  daylight,  but  did  not  rret  off  I  ,    '      ''■     ^^  "•«■■« 

which  is  a  very  late  st  JfLf        /•    ""  ''""''  """■•  •■"'"■'■"e, 
boys  all  being  up  ll     'nit  r'""  '' r'"^  "^^  "'«  l"--'! 
One  of  them,  fvLl^J^'siS^  i;  tf^fi  eru"- '  '"  f"'^"'- 
abort  ,n.  l.'ght,  was  certain  1,e  saw  t,™l^dt^^- '■"',''  ""'"'^ 

and  a,pe..ed  toVe  st^  L  ^and  rt:""'     '""'  ''''^- """■■ 
aei^ing  one  of  the  horses.    The  a  arm  1"-^'  ''''P"™""^  «» 

ine  aia.m  was  given,  g„ns  loaded. 


Tim  iioMRWAnn  MMtcti. 


801 


P  -  oI«  pnmr.,    afiosl,,  „n<l,  „f,or  much  ,„lk!„g,  Bcliculntio,, 

»Y"  '"".P-'r  i».  that  .,ot  „„  I,„,i,r„  „,„1,  ^„  f„^     "wit     a 
"""■■<■-'. ""l™.",..!  that  it  wae  all  ,!,„  results!  of  „  n  1 

th™,.«  .  tl,..  v..,.y  s<,e,in„  of  eo.,„t.,  by  a  ,„„g  „f  ,„    ,   „  g      f 
and  all  Ins  companions  killed  and  scnlnpd      ir.  i 

.™ .!« ««;,,  .,M  .1.,,  .,,„  pj;;,r,;s.,.  -■,::;r.s 

f  ct,  hcj.  wee  «o  ,.Ie„ty  that  wc  chased  i„,.e  ex  e,  t  t  i,  L 
'■-etiy  ,.,  „„r  i,„„.  We  .eache.l  Goose  river  at  00  - 
.  .•a,.oo,„  o„e„  ,„or„  overtook  us.  VVc  all  ,|i„„„  tolre"  ™ 
the  l„gh  ,,la,ea„,  o„  ,l,e  «o,„h  si.le  of  Goose  river,  a,  1  1,  a 
o.ice  moie  a  .eHiiioi,  ot  our  lar^-e  fao.ilv  'n  ■  <I 
trivolln.l  t„..     -I  ,    '"r  i.i.go  lamiijs     1  his  afternoon  we 

ti.telled  teu  m.les  a„d  cau,pe,l  upo,,  ,1,0  p,.„irie. 

«tora"l,":t  ""•T^''"'l'>'  ''"'  -'H''  -"■  -  southeast  rain- 
We  rose7,  ^^'^     f  '■"^"'"''  "''W-l'io-'ed    equiuoctial. 

MMy  at  that  hour-no  one  kn„,vi„g  the  right  tin'e      We 
hen  had  breakfast,  and  Dr.  F.  and  I  st.aned  onlhel  1  a't  le!st 

hadto  fust  to  our  horses  altogetbe,-.     At  daybVbt  it  boL^an 

.ode  some  four  „„lcs,  and  then  awaited  on  the  top  of  a  lonrr 

o;fh;';:.r;;?  ''"''"• '--  "-^  "•■'-'  «^ "-  --  -""^»>-e 

all"  'rt':L"r  *'"■'"■■  "';f  '^^P  ""■  ^P""^  ""•  '-mg  ..one 

on    rorrebl  k  of'th  '""''t''"'      ^'^  "  ^'"'"'*»-  -''i^i'-" 
on  ..o.sebaek  of  the  most  pathetic   sceues   fro.n   "Hamlet" 

Romeo  and  Juliet,"  "Kichard  III."  .<  3i„cbetl,. H^jX 

of  the  i.yo,.,"  and  "the  Men  of  the  Buffaloes"- varjiu.     be 


''1 


302 


SKETCHES   BY    A   CAMP-FIRE. 


f   { 


9l^ 


performance  witli  a  specimen  of  "  Bombastes  Furioso,"  and  a 
tarce    or  two,  including  the  -Dead  Shotr      Tl.e  doctor  an 
proved    ,n   the   proper   places,  like    a  most   excellent  critic 
according  to  the  merits  of  the  various  parts. 

About  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  a  large  herd  of  buflfalo  cows  were 
discovered  to  the  left  of  the  road  ahead,  several  miles  distant! 
Preparations  being  hastily  made  for  an  attack,  our  hunters 
after  a  s^n-ited  chase,  captured  five.     The  herd  contained  from' 
one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty,  among  which  were  a 
number  of  calves.     After  dinner  we  rode  on  four  miles,  and 
came  up  with  the  advance  party,  assembled  round  the  carcass 
o   one  of  the  cows,  the  meat  of  which  had  been  cut  up,  prepar- 
atory to  being  jerked  at  leisure,  and  eaten  fresh.     The  cow 
was  very  fat,  more  tender,  and  much  smaller  than  the  bulls 
killed  previously;  also  resembled  more  clo.ely  the  domestic 
anima       1  he  portions  we  were  unable  to  carry  with  us  were 
left  tot  .e  tender  mercies  of  the  wolves,  which  were  already  in 
sight,  attracted  by  the  scent  of  blood,  and  only  awaiting  our 
departure  to  fall  to  work.  .  ^^  6      * 

The  afternoon  was  cold  and  rainy,  chilling  us  to  the  very 
marrow ;    our  road   being  over   flat,    swampy   ground.      We 
camped  just  before  night  at  Rush  river,  in  a  grove  of  majestic 
trees   immediately  on    the   river's   bank;   the  dragoons  had 
already  camped,  and  some  one  of  our  party  had  previously 
built  a  large  fire,  by  which  we  stood  in  the  drenching  rain 
drying  ourselves  in  front,  while  taking  a  soaking  in  the  rear' 
Our  tents  were  pitched,  horses  staked,  supper  cooked  of  buffalo' 
cow-s  eaks,  etc.,  and  we  passed  the  night  amid  the  terrors  of 
the  elements  and  they  made  a  time  of  it.     We  marched  a 
distance  this  day  of  twenty-five  miles,  equally  hard  upon  the 
liorses  as  ourselves.  ^ 

o-y'T";  "'''— C'«»'ly  ""d  ™"  a"  day.  and  from  eight 
o  oek  .  A.  M„  a  rain-sto™.  We  should  have  remained 
can,ped  all  day,  n.stead  of  marching;  the  dragoons,  too,  were 
far  ahead  of  us.  I  walked  as  usual  several  hours,  but  finally 
took  refuge  in  the  carriage  from  the  pitiless  storm.  Wind 
strong,  and  cold  enough  for  snow.  Alter  proceeding  ten  miles, 
we  m.red  our  horses  and  carriage  in  eudeavoring^o  cross  ^ 


THE  HOMEWARD  MAUCH. 


rioso,"  and  a 
B  doctor  ap- 
ellent  critic, 

lo  cows  were 
tiiles  distant, 
our  hunters, 
itained  from 
liich  were  a 
r  miles,  and 
the  carcass 
t  up,  prepar- 
The  cow 
in  the  bulls 
be  domestic 
ith  us  were 
i  already  iu 
waiting  our 

to  the  very 
>und.  We 
of  majestic 
igoons  had 

previously 
jhing  rain, 
n  the  rear. 
I  of  buffalo 

terrors  of 
narched  a 
I  upon  the 

Tom  eight 
remained 
I  too,  were 
)ut  finally 
n.  Wind 
ten  miles, 
to  cross  a 


303 


innddy  stream  and  Lad  to  draw  them  on.  with  ropes     We 
vere  a    „,serable.  and  pushed  ahead,  without  haltingfor  Z 
.or,  a  distance  of  six  ,„iles,  to  the  banks  of  Maple  rfver  !,, 

before  us,  endeavor  ng  to  kindle  a  fivp    n,.o  i    ^A^  ■  ^'^^  "'^'^^ 
i^^^n        1  M      ,  b  ^^  iviuuie  a  nie,  one  holdine"  an  iim- 

piling  on  the  wet  twigs  and  limbs.     To  those  who  are  unac 
qua,,,  ed  w,th  the  mode  of  lighting  fire  upon  the  prai   e  in  a 

together  with  a  little  tow,  or  paper  (if  to  be  had),  is  placed  in 

Zn  '  T  r  P"""""' '"'''  ^•"^''^«''  fr""  the  ain  W  hol^! 
ng  over  ,t  a  hat,  or  cap,  or  blanket;  some  wet  powder  is 
hen  thrown  on,  together  with  a  little  of  the  dry  explosive  and 

the  whole  ignited  with  flint  and  steel      Fine  ch^         i'  ? 

«-;-S.C; "'.;: :  i  .t-".:^:'-ri• 
ing  he  flames  still  higher,  then  gathers  closely  around  wlile" 
SHLt  ''-''"'  ''■•""  '"^  —-^.-ents  ascent 
Sattob^^,  11th.- Again  cloudy  and  cold,  with  rain  and  a 

gieeable.     We  detei-mmed  not  to  travel  to-day,  and  lav  abed 

CI  ''.rP.^Tf "  ™'-'"-     '^'"-  •''•-'"■-'  -nsistedTf  list 
rest  of  die 'd,   ".'-*-?"'»'»-.  ^ffee.  &c.,  and  we  spen   tie 
rest  of  the  day  drying  our  wet  bedding,  coats,  boots  saddle, 
and  blankets;  the  half-breeds  busily  occupied  c    Ung  up    .l' 
bufi-alo-meat  and  jerking  it,  by  spreading  it  over  a  ffame  of 
poles,  about  four  feet  from  the  ground,  and'buildii  g  fi^-es  undei 
..eath,  which  were  kept  burning  day  and  night. 

We  have  had  a  storm  of  much  severity,  and  being  upon  the 
prairies,  unprotected  by  nnv  timicv  -,  '         ^  ,    •  *'■  " 
force     Tn  nio-l.t  .  ^     ?      '  ""^  '^'^  "  '"  ''«  f"" 

torce.     lo-n.ght  the  sun  set  clear,  and  the  western  sky  was 


301 


SKKTCIIES   BY   A   CAMP-FIRE. 


most  bn  hantly  illuminated.  Fine  weather  will  undoubtedly 
follow,  the  equinoctial  being  over  now  for  certain.  Indian 
sununer  will  now  return  and  resume  its  sway,  after  this  tempo- 
rary disruption  of  the  elements. 

Herds  of  buffaloes  are  around  us  to-night,  and  have  even 
wandered  m  among  our  horses,  close  to  camp.  We  are  obliged 
to  chase  >  iem  out  occasionally,  for  fear  of  accidents.  Yester- 
day afternoon  I  could  have  shot  them  from  the  carriage,  as 
they  crossed  the  road  continually,  often  being  within  fifty 
yards  ;  ,„,ieed  I  often  feared  a  herd  would  run  us  down  in  their 
mad,  headlong  career. 

Sunday,  12th. -Fine,  clear,  and  most  beautiful  day,  and 
more  to  be  appreciated  after  the  disappearance  of  the  sun  '"or 
three  days.  Our  carts  were  hauled  over  Maple  river  brido-e 
and  up  the  steep  bank  on  the  south  side,  by  ropes,  all  hands 
laying  hold,  albeit  it  was  the  sabbath.  But  all  days  are  alike 
to  us ;  the  powers  that  rule  our  expedition  having  left  their 
religious  scruples  and  proprieties  behind  them. 

We  then  set  out,  over  the  smooth,  level  prairie,  for  the 
tehayenne,  distant  from  twelve  to  fifteen  miles;  the  buffalo- 
bulls,  cows,  and  calves -all  around  us,  and  running  across  the 
road  in  herds.  A  number  were  killed,  and  the  tongues  and  a 
portion  of  the  flesh  secured.  We  reached  the  Shayenne,  the 
southern  boundary-line  of  the  buff^ilo  in  the  Red  river  valley, 
at  noon.  The  dragoons  had  just  crossed  over,  and  their  teams' 
were  winding  up  tlie  steep  bluff  on  the  opposite  side. 

We  dined,  rested  two  hours,  and  made  a  march  of  eight 
miles  in  the  afternoon.  We  stopped  at  the  only  clump  of 
timber  on  the  whole  prairie,  between  the  Shayenne  and  Wild- 
rice  river,  and  here  we  found  the  dragoons  encamped.  Being 
out  of  the  buffalo  country,  a  portion  of  the  excitements  of  the 
trip  are  over, 

^  And  now,  if  I  can  throw  enough  interest  into  our  monotonous 
journey  back  to  Sauk  Rapids,  to  interest  the  reader,  I  shall  be 
happy.  Be  it  remembered,  however,  that  these  unpretending, 
rough  notes,  are  written  with  pencil,  with  my  knee  upon  the 
grass  for  a  writing-desk,  amid  the  smoke  of  evening,  noon,  and 
morning  camp-fires,  sometimes  unon  mv  hr.r-cf.   ,.,i,:]^  ]„: u. 


mdoubtedly 
in-  Indian 
this  tempo- 
have  even 
are  obliged 
ts.  Yester- 
carriage,  as 
vitliln  fifty 
wn  in  their 

1  day,  and 
the  sun  '^or 
VGv  bridge, 
i,  all  hands 
s  are  alike 
;  left  their 

ie,  for  the 
!  buffalo — 
across  the 
jues  and  a 
^'enne,  the 
'er  valley, 
leir  teams 

I  of  eight 
clump  of 
md  Wild- 
i.  Being 
nts  of  the 

)notonous 
[  shall  be 
etending, 
upon  the 
noon, and 
urely 


THE   HOMEWARD   MAKCTT. 


305 


pursuing  my  lonely  way  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  company; 
and  as  first  written,  they  appear  to  you. 

In  consequence  of  our  resting  yesterday  and  travelling  to- 
day,  amid  all  the  bustle  and  confusion  of  the  camp,  besides 
buffalo-hunting,  etc.,  it  is  extremely  hard  to  realize  it  is  the 
holy  institution  of  the  s  bbath  that  has  again  dawned  upon 
us  so  beautifully.  I  think  of  the  quiet  Sunday  far  away  at 
home,  and  in  the  crowded  cities  of  the  East,  where  the  bells 
are  gayly  chiming  in  the  ears  of  their  thousands  of  hearers, 
who  should  be  worshippers,  and  answer  to  their  call. 

MoNDAv,  13th. —  Clou \v,  cold,  and  windy,  all  the  morning, 
with  rain-showers  at  noon.     Overcoats  and   exercise  on  foot 
necessary  to  comfort.     We   started  early,  and  reached   the 
"Wild  Rice"  at  one  o'clock,  P.  M.,  having  made  a  march  of 
sixteen  miles.     Drew  the  wagons,  carriage,  and  carts,  over  by 
ropes ;  then  camped  in  double  quick  time,  and  all  hands  fell 
to  cooking.     Dinner  and  supper  combined,  was  ready  at  four, 
P.  M.     It  consisted  of  boiled  buffalo  cow  and  potatoes,  fried 
cow  and  hearts,  coffee,  stewed  peaches,  and  a  hash  made  of 
cold  meats,  potatoes,  onions,  lard,  pepper,  and  salt;  all  well 
mixed,  prepared,  and  cooked  by  Dr.  F.,  assisted  by  the  young 
priest,  Mons.  Lecombe,  Gabon,  and  Pierre.    All  hands  then  fell 
to  with  an  avidity  unexampled  in  all  the  hungry,  voracious 
feats  on  record,  and  devoured  the  meal  ravenously.     I  have 
been  thinking  that  we  will  scarce  know  how  to  live  in  houses, 
or  eat  at  table,  when  we  get  into  civilized  life  again.     There 
is  a  romance  and  strange  wild  pleasure  in  the  life  we  lead  at 
present,  so  that  the  ordinary  every-day  routine  of  business  life 
among  the  busy  haunts  of  men  away  down  to  the  southeast 
(St.  Paul),  will  seem  irksome  and  monotonous;  and  we  will  all 
lia^e  to  be  broken  into  the  traces  of  quiet,  sedentary,  domestic 
life  again,  —  which  will  perhaps  prove  all  the  pleasanter  and 
more  to  be  appreciated,  after  undergoing  a  temporary  interrup- 
tion to  its  eniovments. 

TuESDAv,  14tli.  —  Election  day  In  Minnesota,  for  memliers 
of  the  house  and  council.  Well,  they  have  a  delightful  day 
for  it;  sun  warm,  air  cool  and  pleasant.  Go  it  —  organizers, 
disorganizers,  and  coalitionists— to  the  mark,  ye  whig  whij^s 


306 


SKETCHES   BY  A   CAMP-FIRTi:. 


H  I 


■ii  e  erovernar'a  «ri.;r.i  ^       i«Ke  a  "horn, ' 

^-^^  Xv    ZL     t^^ZnT  ^^PP^^^'P-"-  --t  gathered, 
"  If  sprt  o  "^        '     /    etandmg  toast  being  that  of  Falstaff 
If  sack  and  sugar  be  a  fault,  God  help  the  wicked  f'' 
We  crossed  the  Bois  des  Sioux  four  miles  south  nfwl, 
crossed  coinp-  nnf    o«;i  ,      ,  "'"  ^*  where  we 

Imlf  a  mile  to  camo      T1,J  '  "''  '°  '"""^  ""  ^«<>d 

first  time.     It  co^L'^edlf  1^,'""/  ^'"''r'"^  '^'""^' ^»^  *'■« 
boiled.  t..e„  fried  iapan^i:;  L  dT^'  ""'''r^'  "'^^  ?- 

excellency,  about  the  .*«/fc4  of  the  dish  Ld  ?.  ^  ^.  " 
ity  -f  kidney  fat  over  all  other  fats  Doctor  Td-  .•"*"'""'■ 
>-rging  that  the  admixture  of  so  much  ftt  ^-^''""T^'  *'"' 
t>.e  whole  into  good  tallo:!  Uesa'd  iTe'^^Ztr  '""" 
be  cast  into  moulds,  and  each  man  LlloweTIn  .  ,  """ 
candle,  as  he  pleased      T,.ll    -T  f     ,"■  ^  «»'  or  burn  his 

was  none  of  h  s  bustss-  To'n  '"''  ?'  ""'  "'■''  """  '' 

"  Don't  let  it  bur':rb  „  z::z::t7-:\  "■:  ^-''■" 

will  be  first-rate  '"     D;.n,,f  J        ^^""emen,  if  it  don't  burn,  it 

ought  to  he  madV,  altedSedro;^:'"^;^^ 
was  sustained  by  the  ouas!  cnok   .    i     T     J^'    lord's  plan 

big  black  bear  waldiscovered  i::  to  :"''•     ^"1,"""'  * 
started  in  hot  pursuit      Tl  !  '»«■"?.  and  all  hands 

Doctor  F.,  his  cam  Is  a.Td   •  TT'  ^'"^'"  ^''"  ^''^"'y  f"'- 

bin^self  in'  a  neiSS.^t'e"  ''LtrX'T^l'l^^'.  ^"'^"^'^ 

— "  ^'d  iuj[gu[  ju IS  gravy, 


THE   HOMEWARD  MARCH. 


307 


tie  stew  was  burnt,  and  in  a  minute  the  devil  was  to  nay  •  Lx^t 
]^ruj„  got  fits  !    Pierre  and  Gabon  took  tbe  lead  on  horsiback 
wlnle  the  rest  of  us  ran  down  and  along  tbe  banks  of  like 
Oonstantia,  till  we  were  fairly  out  of  breath 

thf.Ti!!!  ''"t1-^'  ""  race-horse,  but  could  not  save  his  bacon 
that  t  me  Pierre  shot  first,  and  his  ball  only  tore  off  a  toe 
fiom  the  beast's  fore  foot.  Gabon  then  fired, and  his  two  balls 
passed  hrough  poor  Bruin,  who  leaped,  and  fell  headlong  down 
the  hil  -side,  and  was  dead  before  we  reached  him.  He  was 
skinned  and  the  meat  placed  on  the  carts;  when,  after  the 
kidney  dinner,  we  once  more  moved  on 

rRii,Ar,  17th  -Cloudy,  with  rain  all  day.  We  made  a 
short  march  and  camped  early,  to  avoid  the  storm,  on  the 
borders  of  a  lake  near  Potato  river.  All  hands  then  fell  to  at 
cooking  Doctor  F.  could  be  seen,  with  great  slices  of  ham  on 
a  forked  stick.  Tyler  was  parboiling  and  frying  the  ham  and 
eggs.  Ihe  French  boys  put  up  elk-ribs  to  roast,  and  Pierre 
a  skunk;  he  having  killed  two  yesterday  for  the  governor, 
who  had  taken  a  great  fancy  to  them,  and  was  very  desirous 
to  have  another  taste.  The  regular  dinner  consisted  of  broiled 
bear-ribs,  eggs,  coffee,  &c. 

The  whole  was  eaten  except  the  skunk,  and  his  e:,celle,rcy 
refused  to  partake  of  it,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  'very  good 
when  he  was  very  hungry,  but  that  an  ordinary  appetite  could 
not  relish  it.  It  would  be  a  very  ordinary  one  that  co«Jd.  He 
also  says,  there  are  too  many  kinds  of  meat  about,  and  too 
much  ot  It,  for  any  one  to  fancy  skunk. 

r)l^  F.  and  Tyler  were  appointed  a  committee  of  two,  to  see 
that  he  eats  OK.  at  least  before  he  goes  to  bed  to-night,  and 
not  0  let  him  off  without.  It  is  but  meet  that  everv  on^ 
Bhould  have  plenty  of  that  which  is  most  to  his  taste,  and  also 
skin  and  eat  his  own  skunks,  and  not  leave  them  for  his 
friends  We  then  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  within  our  tents, 
and  had  a  good  time  of  it.  The  governor  ate  his  slunJc  ior 
supper,  though  he  thought  we  were  coming  it  rather  sfron^ 
over  him      Our  salt  gave  out  to-day,  and  there  is  great  grum"- 


ing  in  the  camp.     We  have  plentv  of  wbi'^ke-  l^ft 
uncle  being  very  liberal  in  his  supply  o{ spirits Mn^h 


>  jiowevcri 


IS  a 


very 


308 


SKETCHES  BT   A   fiAMP  FIRE. 


i, 

I 

■1) 


and 


useful  and  necessary  article  j  as  all  our  party  are  medium, 
go  r„pj,,^g  at  tl,c  «pi,.it-kegs,  filling  „p  their  flasks  and  bottles' 
as  regularly  as  clock-work.  "oities 

The  governor  has  now,  however,  locked  up  all  the  spirits  in 
wooden  boxes    so  .hat  the  spirit  world  is  closed  to "^     tie 
n.edn™a  save  h.mself.     He  still  ,aj,s  three  or  four  times  a  day 
and  always  gets  very  satisfactory  answers.     He  is,  therefo^^^' 
a  firm  believer  m  M.  spirta.    Lord,  however,  if  he  can  not  tan 
':r ''>"'""  '"  ""^  ""^  -=— '»  -'"  tl-en.,  and  Z 
Sattodav,  18th._We  marched  twenty  miles  to-day  nas 
sn,g  by  Lakes  Pike  and  Fillmore,  and  camped  on  a  „^' 
mmldy  stream^    The  dragoons  left  us  two  days  ago,  and  are 
out  01  s,ght.    They  have  been  of  no  use  to  „s  whatfv  ,  dur  n! 

-  jo^Tewi^h^o^r"  '""■ '-'' '"  "•  '"  -  '-y  <"■— 

SUNOAV,  19th.- Cold  and  windy,  but  good  travelling  weath- 
e  .  We  camped  at  Lightning  lake,  so  called  because  the 
l^^htnn,g  here  struck  the  camp  of  Major  Woods  aud  Capta  n 

1849     We  also  camped  here  over  Sunday  on  our  outward 
march.     Onr  supper  to-night  was  cold  bear-ribs.  crackers  a,  d 
coffee,  eaten  while  sitting  on  a  log  around  the  fire. 
_  1  his  IS  our  last  sabbath  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  we  be 
gin  already  to  feel  near  home. 

Mo™.„,  20tli._  An  extraordinary  day.    Weather  variable  • 
nio,stly  cloudy,  and  quite  cold,  with  a  rainy  mist  and  sn„w 

t  len  ha.lmg  till  the  ground  is  covered ;  the  next  the  sun  !« 
s  lining  warm  and  pleasantly.     There  appears  to  be  a  gene" 
disruption  of  all  the  elements.     We  rode  ei^ht  mil„.  *f  ^ 
m-er,  aud  found  the  crossing  very  bad.    Dr!  F    t™   :::^p:: 
B  ss,e,  was  completely  mired,  and  was  pulled  out  with  a  rpe 
llie  governor  and  Dr.  F.  were  carried  over  on  the  back   rf 
Pierre  and  Jarva,  and  I  forded,  with  the  big  long  India  rubbets 
_hel,.d  around  the  waist,  and  occasionally  stickitg  fast     w h  l"e 
X^ord  took  off  coat,  boots,  pantaloons,  and  drawer'  a,  ,  w      d 
a  la  model  ams,e-i.  the  midst  of  our  immoderate  l»„.ht. 


THE    HOMEWARD  MAROH. 


300 


and  bottles 

e  spirits  in 
to  all  the 
rnes  a  day, 
therefore, 
an  not  tap 
i>  and  lias 

-day,  pas- 
1  a  small 
>j  and  are 
er  durinsr 
dragoons 

ig  weath- 
auso   the 

Captain 
immer  of 

outward 
kers  and 

d  we  be- 

'ariable; 
id  snow- 
iiriously, 
e  sun  is 

general 
to  Crow 
H'e,  poor 

a  rope, 
•acks  of 
rubbers 
;  while 

waded 
ughter. 


We  then  proceeded  two  miles,  and  camped  upon  the  prairie; 

helped  the  doctor  along  with  the  old  mare,  thrashing  her  along 

at  every  step  with  a  long  strap,  and  had  hard  work  to  get  her 

along  at  that.     Poor  Bessie  !  with  tail  between  her  legs,  and 

head  hung  down,  she  seemed  shrunken  by  her  bath  to  about 

one-half  her  former  size,  and,  as  the  cold  winds  swept  around 

her,  she  trembled,  and   looked  most  piteously.     But  cheer  up, 

brave  beast !  Uncle  paid  a  hundred  dollars  for  you,  and  if  yoj 

should   now  keel  over,  it  would  be  truly  a  dead  loss  to  him  ; 

besides,  the  doctor  would  have  to  walk  the  balance  of  the  road', 

and  he  would  be  perfectly  inconsolable  —  his  grief  would  be' 

greatei  than  he  could  bear  ;  so  bear  up,  brave  Bess  ! 

We  dined  and  supped  together  at  three,  P.  M. ;  fare  was  fried 
ham  and  buffalo,  coffee,  etc.  Spent  the  rest  of  the  day  around 
the  fire,  drying  our  moccasins  and  stockings,  and  fixing  up 
generally.  Retired  early.  The  grass  being  all  killed  by  the 
frosts  for  some  time  past,  our  horses  have  nearly  given  out. 
We  are  obliged  to  stop  a  dozen  times  a  day,  on  the  banks  of 
streams,  and  in  the  little  sheltered  valleys  where  the  grass  is 
green,  and  there  refresh  our  exhausted  animals. 

Tuesday,  21st.  — Cloudy  and  windy,  and  very  cold;  snow- 
squalls  occasionally.     We  started  early,  to 'keep  warm ;  and 
Doctor  F.  came  near  drowning  his  mare  in  attempting  to  cross 
a   stream.     She   swamped,  but  after  being  lightened  of  her 
burden,  to  wit,  the  doctor  in  a  saddle,  with  a  knapsack  and  two 
overcoats  behind,  and  a  coil  of  rope  of  thirty  feet  and  a  stake, 
for  a  lariat  at  night.     On  the  removal  of  all  this,  she  rose  to 
the  surface,  and,  a  rope  being  fastened  around  her  neck,  she 
was  drawn  out  choked,  with  a  "  Yo,  heave  O !"  and  a  "Pull 
now,  boys,  altogether,  out  she  comes  !"  by  all  our  force.     In 
doing  this  poor  Bess  struggled   and  floundered  considerably, 
and  the  mud  and  water  flew  as  though  a  dozen  porpoises  just 
harpooned  wei-e  there  ;  the  doctor  meanwhile  standing  along- 
side of  her,  at  a  safe  distance,  over  his  boots  in  water,  crying, 
"  Pull,  pull,  you  devik,  pull  —  a  long  pull,  a  strong  pull,  and  a 
pull  altogether  !  out  she  goes  !"    We  then  took  turns  in  driving 
her  along,  the  doctor  riding  myjiorse,  and  I  wading  the  swamps 
and  streams  in  the  big  boots.     i:ach  one  in  his  turn  abandoned 


310 


SKETCriKS   BY   A   CAMP-FIRE. 


k   I 


m 


occasionally  consult;,,,.  ,L  •!     f  ^  ^  """■■  '""'''^''  ""'l 

bnt  j„st  ,„  e„y,  ,,o„.e,„,  t,,„j  ^  le'avins  tiren.  T  tool 

i^iiiuiea  at  Ua\id  lake,  m  a  piece  of  woodlan.l      Wo  i 
t.ees  tl,c  fire  roared,  and  the  snow  commenced  falling  fu"f„, 2 

";iTarc:r.rrSr  -oS  -ri  -"'  ^"-■ 

ManUet  .avin,  i„  .,.  .ind.t'a  ^r':! :  ru Tr,r 
d.ed  yards,  and  occasionally  a  creature  that  apne  re     t    bl" 
an  I„d,an  wo.dd  spring  „p,  and  waving  his  b  a„ket  at  ,,, 
again  fell  quickly  down  into  the  grass      E-    Til  ' 

«^.,,,.p.„.  ,„„,,„,j~,;:ir..r.;-it£; 

—  and  believing  it  to  be  somefool-caper  of  one  of  til  „7      ^ 

party  I  rode  ahead,  till  Gaboi  fina/i;.:drov      t    theTr 

and  after  a  sort  of  parley  with  the  creature-d",  g  thi  fu 

eaped  about  and  waved  the  blanket,  and  then  squaHilg  std 

in  as  small  a  compass  as  possible,  forming  a  living  ball  envel 
oped  .n  a  blanket,  and  so  remained  c^.iet  and^  mo  i„  ,  I    " 

a  m  1?  ff  rd'r  t""  T'"  '"'"''  '"  '  ''"^  "'  -"^^^ 

«*  nine  on,  and  motioned  us  to  ^o  there      We  fm-,,,^  +i  „ 
po.ed  Indian  to  be  "  Amab,"  on!  of  the  Frl„  bo  -f  w W  Z 

£:  ":::•„  r:- 1  ''--i ""  ^^^-^  "•-'■--*,;":'::' 

gone  H  e,  therefore,  followed  their  trail,  leaving  the  silent 
blanket-euve  oped  sentinel  as  a  sort  of  living  fil  ,o  « 
direct  the  others  still  behind.    On  a„-ivi„g  a!  the'woods  wo 


THE   HOMEWARD  MARCH. 


311 


found  the  carts  and  carriage— the  horses  picketed  in  the 
woods  for  shelter,  and  a  huge  fire  blazing.  The  governor, 
lyler,  and  the  old  mare,  soon  after  arrived,  and  dinner  being 
ready,  all  hands  ate  with  their  accustomed  avidity,  some  in 
their  tents,  and  some  around  the  fire  amid  the  falling  snow 
In  the  midst  of  our  enjoyments,  we  could  not  but  regret  the 
loss  of  one  of  our  party,  who  had  come  along  the  road,  walking 
and  leading  his  sick  mare,  before  the  fantastic  sentinel  was 
posted,  and  not  observing  that  the  carts  had  left  the  road,  he 
kept  on,  although  two  guns  were  fired,  and  blankets  waved, 
and  shouts  sent  after  him  from  camp. 

Much  pity  was  bestowed  on  him,  and  a  great  deal  of  won- 
dering  and  speculation  indulged  in  as  to  his  whereabouts  on 
such  a  night  as  this,  without  fire,  food,  or  shelter.  He  is  sup. 
posed  to  be  at  the  crossing  of  8auk  river,  fifteen  miles  ahead, 
l^abou  set  oif,  however,  on  his  Indian  pony  in  search  of  him, 
the  snow  falling  in  wild,  fitful,  gusts.  We  are  yet  some  forty 
miles  from  the  Mississippi,  and  are  uneasy  at  the  rapid  giving 
out  of  our  horses.  Two  of  our  half-breeds  started  on  ahead 
tins  morning  in  hopes  of  reaching  the  river  by  night. 

However,  as  we  lie  warm  and  comfortable  in  our  tents  to- 
night,  upon  our  beds  of  mattress,  robes,  and  blankets,  with 
overcoats,  boots,  and  saddles,  for  our  pillows,  we  can  listen 
undismayed  to  the  keen  bowlings  of  old  Boreas,  and  the  pat- 
terings  and  rattlings  of  the  gliding  snows  overhead -the  first 
rude,  rough  harbingers  of  the  precocious  winter,  disturbs  us  not. 
13  ow,  winds,  blow,  snows  may  fall,  and  the  winds  may 
howl  for  ourselves  we  care  not,  only  for  our  poor  beasts,  and 
our  absent  voyageur. 

Wednesi>ay.  22d.-A  beautiful,  fine,  clear,  day.  after  the 
storm,  cool  and  bracing.  The  old  mare.  Bess,  was  found 
standing  in  the  same  spot  and  position  that  she  was  left  last 
H.ght,  She  had  apparently  not  laid  down,  or  moved  a  muscle. 
She  stood,  in  fact,  a  statue  of  a  mare -perfectly  rigid  through- 
out  the  night,  and  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the  storm,  we  beL 
unable  to  get  her  under  shelter.  The  Dr..  getting  desperate! 
started  on  ahead  on  foot,  while  the  governor.  Lord,  and  Tyler 

.-J. ^..^.s  „xong  v>ini  blows  aua  suouts;   but  finally 


rii  t 


1,1- 
V 

I 

r 


■v 

t 
f,  .■ 


,«        ':", 


III 


,1  I 


312 

fViilh 
with 
Billy 


SKKTClira    BY    A    CAMP- FIRE, 
g  in  tl.ifi.  they  hitched  IJilly  Button  (Lord's  I 


iOYBd),  to  her 


"tck,   and   attaching   the  rono   around    if    ♦!,«„  .i.. 


s   iieck,   and   attaching   tl. 
pulled  the  mare  hy  force ;  Bill  d 


opo  around    it,  they  tl 


rawing  as  if  his  life  d 


1U8 

ded 


bod,-.he<i  a  tear  o/wo  "rvt, '  or:::-:',  "'•  ?" ,'™ 

I.cr  t„  l,e..  fate—  ,leatl,  a,,.,  the  wtc^"     ''^  "'"''•  "'"'  '"" 
hllf   ^«".'='"'-' S';"k  Hve.-,  c..o.«ea  and  can.ped  a  few  „,ilea 

"vei   bank.     A  dragoon  horse  which  we  nicked  i,n  nvl        .   i 

iiitio;  we  lla^•e  several  more  belouci„„  to  tl,„  ,i,.„ 
/ct  quite  dead  but  soon  will  be.     Th^  t  at  bulk    f.T''  ""' 
'ersation  t„.,,igl,t  was  on  tbe  death  of'th:';:^:^  :„::;■ 
-are  of  the  doctor's;  much  merriment  and  wit  was  X  le,! 

'a  k,  and  rnle  upon  a  cart  as  a  der.ner  resort  to  get  to  port 

-lHURSD.v,23d.-A  fine  clear,  cool  day.     We  cot  to  wl  i  • 
.our  mi^^s  of  the  river  at  Sauk  rapids,  an^d  caiX'^t 

,^eiit::iti~hir— ^^^^^^^^^ 

A.M.,  hav.ng  made  the  n.arch  from  Pembina  in  two.  tv-three 
days,  and  very  g_lad  to  get  back  to  the  settlements  aga  „ 
b.Tuan.v,  astb.-We  started  for  St.  Paul,  taking  son.e  of 

tLlT        f  ""^^''"'"■•g  <»-  l'»ffg-.ge  on  aheadin  a  two 
hoiseteam.     Stopped  at  Big  lake  all  night. 

se-fceTilft"'-""';  ""■''"'  ^''-  ^'""  '»■"'»''*•  "ft"  an  ab- 
bence  ot  just  ten  weeks. 


TJIlfi    HOMKWAUI)    MARCH. 


313 


ll.e  .1^/.;....^/,,,,,  of  St.  raul.  tl.UH  alludes  to  our  arrival 
homo,  and  smns  up  our  jourury  in  tl.i«  wise:  "The  drnL-oons 
who  accou.,,,uu.,l  the  governor  to  Pen.hiua.  returned  to  Fort 
fendhng  on  Fridaj-  last,  and  on  Monday,  about  eleven  o'clock, 
the  innuerous  IViendB  of  oui-  worthy  executive  were  delighted 
to  take  hunself,  and  those  who  aecon.panied  him.  hy  the  hand 
lie  party  was  absent  only  ten  weeks,  and  in  that  time  trav^ 
elled  upward  of  twelve  hundred  n.iles,  going  and  returning, 
besides  consunnuating  the  important  business  of  the  expedi- 
tion   u,  the  highly  satisfactory  manner  already  made  public. 

'  iheir  route  lay  to  the  west  of  the  Red  river  of  the  North 
until  they  struck  the  Pembina  river,  which  they  followed  to' 
Its  mouth.     This  is  the  site  of  Mr.  Kittson's  old  trading  post, 
the  place  where  the  treaty  was  made.         a^hey  returned  by 
tlie  same  route.  ^ 

"  The  party,  soldiers  and  citizens,  all  return  in  the  most 
robust  health,  though  somewhat  bronzed  by  exposure  to  the 
weather.  Their  horses  stood  the  journey  home  remarkably 
well,  considering  the  grass  was  very  much  cut  down  by  the 
frost.  Dr.  Foster  lost  his  horse  a  day  or  two  out  from  Sauk 
rnpids,  which  was  the  only  one  lost  by  the  governor's  party. 
L\\Q  soldiers  lost  two,  we  believe. 

"  Game  in  abundance  was  found  on  the  route,  both  going  and 
coming.  Buffalo,  elk.  bear,  geese,  ducks,  and  brant,  were 
killed  in  much  greater  quantities  than  could  be  used.  Buffalo 
were  more  plenty  on  the  return  than  in  going  out.  Thousands 
lined  the  prairies  d.  ring  several  days'  travel.  From  sixty  to 
a  hundred  were  killed  by  the  party,  and  any  number  could 
have  been  taken. 

"Dr.  Bond,  who.  from  his  close  observation  of  meteorological 
subjects,  nas  earned  the  title  of  clerk  of  the  weather,  informs 
us  that  the  first  frost  which  nipped  vegetation  in  the  valley  of 
Ked  river,  occurred  on  the  28th  of  September.  Four  days 
previous,  he  gathered  flowers,  fresh  and  blooming,  in  the  gar- 
dens at  Pembina.  On  Tuesday  week,  about  one  hundred 
miles  west  of  Sauk  rapids,  they  encountered  a  snow-squall. 

"  All  the  party  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  country  over 
which  they  passed,  and  of  tho  ],oppitablc  entertainmc 


\\ 


uiej 


I 


314 


BKKTCUE8  BY  A  OAMP-PIRB. 


received  at  the  ImiulH  of  the  people  on  both  sides  the  hne 
llie  nttentionfl  of  the  UudBon'a  Bay  factors  and  clerks,  and 
the  people  of  Selkirk  settlement  generally,  are  warmly  al- 
luded  to.  The  former  accounts  are  confirmed,  that  they  are  a 
frugal,  hardy,  and  industrious  people,  surrounded  by  all  the 
comforts  of  life  that  can  be  ntt«:„bu  m  that  remote  icgion." 

../r'T'^'"'.'^''''l"'  "P  ^°  ***'  ^^^^  September,  1861,  deBcriptive  of  our 
Outwftr.1  March,"  and  residence  «t  Pembina  and  Selkirk  «ettl.njent,  were 
firjt  pnbhshed  in  the  Minnesota  Pioneer,  at  St  Paul,  during  the  months  of 
February  March,  and  April.  1862.  The  notes  of  the  "Homeward  March- 
have  not  hitherto  been  published. 


LurrKKa  fkom  tembin^  and  Selkirk. 


815 


CHAPTER  III. 

LETTERS    FROM    PEMBINA   AND    SELKIRK    SETTLEMENT-DESCRIP- 
TION    OF    THE    SETTLEMENT. 

wJo  w,t«rr  ""'7'  ''r"'""™ "'  "■"  ^^^^"^  -"'o™""*. 

weie  fl.nten  dunngr  the  short  stay  I  m„cle  in  that  hospitaWe 
ot  th6     Minnesota  Democrat,"  in  which  paper  thev  were  »„1, 

out«  aia    and     homeward"  march  : 

Fort  Gae,t,  StutrnK  Settlement,  Sfpfemitr  22    1861 

ing  tor  bt.  Paul,  hearing  despatches  from  Dr.  Eav  wlio  1,„. 
been  exploring  the  coast  from  Victoria  to  Wollaste.tLald  fit 
the  one  Imndrod  and  tenth  to  the  one  hundred  and  seven,;e.th 
degree  of  west  longitude,  in  hopes  of  finding  some  tTce  of  Six 
John  Frank  in.  and  the  straits  which  were  s^posed  o  ex  end 
through  to  tlio  nortliwest  in  that  locality 

He  has  failed  in  both,  and  intends  next  summer  to  turn  hie 
attention  ,„  another  direction,  satisfied  that  there  is  no  oLer 
any  hopes  in  that  quarter.     His  packaee  ha    tZ       °  Tf 

^  L^k  ,  W  •  ^t""^  'r'"'  ""  "'«  '>-'-^''™  extremity 
of  Lake  W.nn.peg.  It  ,s  to  be  forwarded  immediately  to  the 
ndm,ralty  department,  via  St.  Paul  and  the  states.  MTldl 
Klyn  ,s  the  bearer,  and  will  reach  you  in  fifteen  dayf^a  1 
nous  opportunity  for  communicating  a  few  lines  to  you -as' 
good  as  .t  was  unexpected ,-  my  time,  however,  is  very  precions 
and  will  not  admit  of  details.  ^  precious, 

Our  party  reached  Pembina  on  the  llth  )n.f„„f  •    . 
lravell!no.,1.„=f.„„  ,1.- ,,.    .    ."  ."^"^  ^"n 'nstant,  in  twenty 
°  "•••'°  *'^""'  "lu  iiiississippi  at  Sauk  rapids.    We  had 


I 


•  It   J  t 

k1   : 


9  .< 


i'i 


n 


31G 

buffalo-lmnts,  b 
dcllglitfuJ  wofitl 


SKKTCIIES   BY    A   CAMP-FIKK 


ear-cliasos,  plenty  of  small 
icr,  aiul  every  other  pl( 


er  game,  good  roads, 
itli 


^    ?asure,  with  sonio  wx  n.t 
exc,  en-iits  and  accidents  attending  a  prairie  trip,  .vith  noth- 
ing, however,  of  a  serious  nature;  scarcely  any  sickness,  and 
no  annoyance  except  from  the  legions  of  winged  devils  in  the 
s  >ape  of  mosquitoes,  gnats,  and  huge,  tormenting  flies,  which 
all  existed  m  swarms  of  countless  millions  throughout  the  trio 
Ihe  treaty  began  on  the  15th,  with  the  Red- lake  and  Tembina 
bands  of  Ch.ppewas,  numbering  in  all  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty.     Several  hundred  half-breeds  were  also  present,  and  ex- 
pected to  participate  in  the  making  of  the  treaty,  and  were 
exceedingly   disappointed   when    informed    that   their  claims 
would  not  be  respected,  and  that  the  government  only  recog- 
msed  the  Indians  as  the  rightful  owners  of  the  soil,  and  in- 
tended  to  deal  with  them  accordingly.     The  half-breeds  had 
counted  on  the  reception  of  a  portion  at  least  of  the  annuities 
as  almost  certain,  and  had  hoped  for  the  consummation  of  a  trea- 
ty, m  case  their  claims  were  recognised,  with  that  view  only  • 
not  with  the  more  manly  intention  of  coming  into  the  full  pos- 
session of  the  lands  at  an  early  period,  and  bettering  their  pres- 
ent miserable  condition  by  their  cultivation,  and,  as  independent 
ti  lers  of  the  soil,  subsist  without  the  poor,  miserable  pittance 
M'hich  It  would  be,  at  least  in  the  shape  of  an  annuity  doled 
ont  to  them  from  year  to  year,  the  very  receipt  of  which  would 
degmde  and  lower  them  as  men  and  citizens  of  our  territory, 
iheir  dependence  upon  annuities  in  prospective,  and  their 
keen  expectancy  of  receiving  them  in  common  with  their  red 
relations,  with  their  unwillingness  to  become  honest  tillers  of 
the  soil,  shows  them  at  least  to  be  very  deficient  in  self-respect, 
and  to  possess  a  very  low  and  I  think  erroneous  estimate  of 
their  own  character.     I  hope,  however,  better  things  of  this 
tree,  liardy,  and  very  energetic  class;  and  that  they  will  take 
advantage  of  what  will  be  done  for  them  by  government  to 
improve  their  present  wandering  condition  and  mode  of  life, 
and  elevate  them  among  the  ranks  of  "Nature's  noblemen,"' 
for  which  positi(  i  they  are  well  qualified. 

The  land  proposed  to  be  purchased  includes  each  side  of 

tiari   »>iv""  *l.?-..f—   . -1--, 

— iiuS 


=  i  V  vi    tii  i;  I  V 


tiie  east  and  west,  and  as  far  south 


WITEKS   FnOM   PEMBINA   ANTl  SELKIEK.  SIT 

as  Goose  river.  This  include,  a  portion  of  Pen,bina monntain 
ami  1 1,0  new  town  „f  St^  Joseph,  thirty  miles  west  of  Pembina. 
An  otUM- was  made  then,  of  eight  thousand  dollars  down  on  the 
rat,fieat,.,„  of  the  treaty,  and  yearly  annuities  of  several  thou- 
sands  for  twenty  years. 

fl,e  l'7M  l7'"".^'  "'  """'"'"y  ''"''  "'«  ^^^-  J"'"'  Blaek,  on 
the  1 7th,  before  the  consummation  of  the  treaty,  and  have  since 
hoard  nothng  definite.  As  the  express  passi;  PembTna  you 
W.11  have  later  news.  We  were  three  days  descending  «,e 
Red  r.ver  (n.nety  miles);  and,  although  we  have  been  suffer! 

I  hair    ™  t'!"!,?"",    """'  ""  "'•'"  """"l  »'  Po-^bina,  yet 
1,7      T    I\^  P'""'"''  "'"■  «^-«7'h"'g  Pertaining  to  this 
settlement,  and  I  assure  you  I  have  seldom  left  a  plfce  with 
more  reluctant  feelings  than  those  I  experience  at  present 
I  am  about  starting  up  the  river  in  a  bark-canoe,  with  two 

?he  2,T    ™^'"^™""''  "T' '""  '•''""''  ^^'"'''"''  0"  *'"=  evening  of 

now  de'l-Tf"!  "f /'"■f'  "'■^'"'  ^y  *'"'  '^^y-     The  weather 
.s  now  del.ghtful,  .t  having  cleared  off  this  morning,  and  is 

IL  ::tre  ;:eTa  ''^''^^■""-  -"»""•     ^he  cathel^l-beH 
mZ  f  f,7     ""^'"^  *  """■y  <^''™'''  ""d  I  almost  fancy 

Selkn-k  settlement,  amid  the  very  centre  of  the  continent  and 
a  whole  month's  march  of  twenty  miles  per  day  to  the  west  of 
snndown  — thatis,  St.  Paul.  t"e  west  ot 

I  and  it  very  hard  to  be  brief  amid  scenes  like  these  but 
my  fme  and  the  circumstances  in  which  I  find  myself  si  uated 

rLw.  "  "•  '"'  ^""  "'«  ^"-«  «-t  necessity  knows 

I  have  been  treated  in  the  most  ho,,pitable  and  kind  manner 
the  i.eople  throughout  the  settlen.ent,  and  by  none  more  so 

Mr  ",T  i'^bS  "':']  ''""•  '''"""  '  ^•■•'"'  '«"^  -member     T 

a  tf        .,         n    i"     "'  """"•'""^  "^  ""'e  company's- p„,t 
at  this  place.  Dr.  Cowan,  Mr.  Pellev  and  nr,.  T„         •     ^  \ 

also  to  Mr.  .fDermott  and  Mr.  AleTa'n"    uLZZ'J-jt 

t:iiZ:TX'it""!-..-i''''^^  ":^""""-'  "'"^"eea 

worthy  ge;:tie:r  IrhaTSdT^-;  -  ::* - 


I 


318 


BKETCIIES   BY    A   CAMPFTEE. 


'     .f 


I   i 


cnmTnnn  with  tlio  otlior  momLpis  of  tlio  sevoral  churches,  of 
which  tlievo  niv.  ihroo,  is  very  highly  csiceined.  The  clnirclies 
wc.ulil  do  credit  to  any  western  settlement  in  the  states.  The 
congrogatious  of  each  are  large,  and  the  character  of  the  peo- 
pie  for  industry  and  morality  is  most  excellent  I  have  found 
more  of  the  noble  traits,  which  dignify  and  exalt  our  race,  ex- 
isting among  the  people  here,  than  any  one  unacquainted  with 
them  would  imagine.  Not  to  ho  too  eulogistic,  however,  I  will 
close  ;  if  I  am  deceived  in  them,  it  is  an  error  of  the  head,  not 
of  the  heart.     More  of  this  anon. 

We  expect  to  leave  Pembina  on  the  1st  of  October,  and  to 
reach  St.  Paul  on  the  25th,  perhaps  not  until  the  1st  of  Novem- 
ber. Our  route  will  be  out  to  the  westward  of  the  one  we 
came,  to  Devil's  lake,  among  the  buflalo-cows  and  probably 
the  bears.  We  anticipate  a  pleasant  time  returning,  as  the 
Indian  summer  soon  sets  in,  and  tho  mosquitoes  will  all  bo 
killed  by  early  frgsts,  or  else  too  much  benumbed  to  "present 
their  bills"  with  vigor ;  we  expect  to  "  settle"  all  that  are  pre- 
sented without  drawing  upon  Uncle  Sam's  treasury  for  an  addi- 
tional amount  of  funds. 

Governor  Ramsey  comes  down  by  canoe  to-day  or  to-mor- 
row, accompanied  by  Mr.  Hugh  Tyler,  Dr.  Foster,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Corley.  The  people  here  Avill  give  them  a  warm  recep- 
tion—  one  of  the  old-fashioned  sort,  such  as  you  might  have 
expected  from  men  before  human  nature  became  corrupt.  They 
are  most  heartily  welcome,  and  their  arrival  looked  forward 
to  with  interest  and  pleasure. 

A  letter  from  Governor  Colville  at  the  lower  fort  has  just 
arrived,  offering  our  governor  and  party  the  hospitalities  of 
Prince  Rupert's  Land  ;  and  Major  Caldwell,  governor  of  the 
colony,  is  here  upon  the  spot,  to  extend  the  same.  But  I  muwt 
close,  hoping  to  find  you  and  all  the  good  people  of  St.  Paul 
"  all  correct"  on  my  return. 


LETTEBS   FEOM  PEMBINA  AND  SELKIRK. 


819 


Pkmbina,  Wednesdaij,  September  li,  1851. 11,  P.  M. 

Dear  Sir  :    I  ],ave  just  arrived  here  from  Fort  Garry,  after 
one  of  the  heaviest  marches  I  have  ever  before  experienced. 
It  happened  in  this  wise :  I  was  detained  at  the  fort  on  Mon- 
day till  four  o'clock,  P.  M.,  as  I  was  obliged  to  stay  and  once 
more  dme  with  the  very  clever  folks  there  stationed.     I  then 
left,  and  after  crossing  Red  river  on  the  ferry-boat,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Assiniboin,  I  proceeded  on  up,  through  the  half- 
breed  settlements,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  for  about  ten 
miles,  over  a  good  road ;  and  when  night  fell,  secured  a  guide, 
who  piloted  me  for  several  miles  to  the  camp  of  my  two  voya- 
geurs,  whom  I  had  already  sent  up  to  the  head  of  the  settle- 
ment that  morning  with  the  canoe,  and  orders  to  await  my 
arrival  there.     I  also  camped  immediately,  heartily  tired  of 
the  tramp ;  and  yesterday  morning  was  oiF  again  at  daylight, 
assisting  the  men  to  paddle,  and  going  up  against  the  cun-ent 
at  about  three  miles  per  hour.    At  seven  o'clock  we  stopped 
for  breakfast,  being  just  out  of  sight  of  the  houses,  which  ex- 
tend  some  fifteen  miles  by  water  above  the  fort.    As  our  canoe 
leaked  badly,  the  men  informed  me  that  it  would  take  live 
days  to  reach  this  place,  and  proposed  deserting  her  and  taking 
to  the  prairie-road  on  foot —stating,  too,  that  we  could  easily 
come  up  in  about  two  days. 

I  was  strongly  inclined  to  let  them  come,  and  go  back,  or 
else  in  the  canoe  to  Selkirk ;  ur  either  proceed  on  up  by  water 
until  I  met  the  governor's  party,  or  await  his  arrival  where  I 
was.  But  not  liking  the  uncertainty  attending  the  time  of  his 
arrival,  and  being  loath  to  beat  a  "  retreat  backward,"  even  if 
It  were  within  the  hospitable  walls  of  a  friendly  fort,  I  decided 
very  unwisely  to  go  on. 

I  therefore  employed  two  Chippewas,  whom  I  found  camped 
upon  the  bank ;  and  the  party  of  four  then  tied  the  baggage 
bedding,  and  provisions,  into  four  large  bundles,  and  each  ta' 
king  one  upon  his  back,  secured  by  a  strap  passing  in  front 
over  the  forehead,  and  sometimes  across  the  chest,  we  began 
our  march:  the  men  ffoinc  nlnno-  wi'fli  ♦l.^;,.  v,«j,v„  :.-„i:--j  . 
an  angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees,  moving  with  a  long,  loping 


820 


SKETCTIKS    BV    A    CAMr-FIlJi:. 


trot,  wliicli  I  at  first  found  rather  difficult  to  keep  pace  with- 
at  tunes  passing  througli  a  swamp  or  across  a  prairie-stream' 
when  one  of  the  party  would  drop  his  pack,  and,  returning 
take  me  upon  his  hack  and  carry  me  safely  over. 

At  noon  we  stopped  to  prepare  our  dinner  of  tea,  old  ham 
dried  buffalo-meat,  and  hard  bread,  with  a  few  condiments  and 
extra  fixings  for  a  relish  ;  and  here  we  met  a  half-breed  goin^ 
down  with  a  cart  and  two  spare  horses;  he  was  also  dining 
upon  the  road,  where  it  passed  a  large  bend  in  the  river,  and 
informed  me  that  the  governor  had  just  gone  down  in  two 
canoes,  eight  men  paddling  in  each,  and  went  very  quick      I 
was  by  this  time  very  sore  and  tired,  as  we  had  made  a  forced 
inarch  of  fifteen  miles  since  eight,  A.  M.,  and  I  therefore  nego- 
tiated  with  the  man  (who  said,  in  answer  to  my  fir,^ .  question, 
that  '  he  spoke  English  a  little  piece")  for  the  use  of  one  of 
Jhs  horses  to  carry  me  back  to  the  settlements.     Feeling  re- 
freshed, however,  a^ter  dinner,  I  determined  to  go  on     we 
made  the  same  distance  in  the  afternoon,  passing  through  a 
swamp  at  sundown,  which  was  about  half  a  mile  in  length 
knee-deep  at  that—a  mass  of  tenacious  mud  and  water.     We' 
camped  soon  afterward  upon  the  open  i  rairie,  with  no  wood 
to  make  a  fire  except  a  few  mshes  to  boil  our  tea,  and  I  re- 
tired wet  and  too  fatigued  to  sleep  or  keep  one  moment  in  the 
snme  position.     I  fortunately  had  a  bed  consisting  of  a  buffalo 
robe,  hree  blankets,  and  a  cnnvas-covered  mosquito  bar,  which 
served  to  keep  off  the  heavy  dew,  already  falling.    If  you  were 
ever  too  tn;ed  to  be  still,  you  can  appreciate  my  situation.  Well, 
I  worried  through  the  night,  and  on  rising  ar,  daylight  this  morn- 
ing, I  found  my  pantaloons  and  things  all  frozen  as  stiff  an 
horn   and  having  no  fire,  I  was  obliged  to  j^ut  them  on  to  thaw. 
Wa  ked  on  througli  the  tall  wet  grass  six  miles,  to  breakfast 
on   he  Prairie  Gratiaro,  forty  miles  from  Selkirk.     I  there  over- 
took my  men,  and  Mr.  Adam  Klyn  and-  his  companion,  with  a 
spare  horse  loaded  with  their  baggage  and  provisions,  the 
mail,  &c„  all  en  rontv  for  the  good  city  of  St.  Paul.     They 
had  previously  passed  me  two  miles  beyond,  having  left  the 
fort  yesterday  at  nine,  A.  M.,  and  cam„ed  four  m\L  hnl.'n^ 
me;  but  as  they  couhl  not  help  me  any,  it  was  at  least  some 


LETTERS    FROM    T:  :srBINA    AND   SELKIRK. 


321 


I 


satisfaction  to  know  they  Lore  <;i;o  letter  from  me  to  you,  if  no 
more. 

I  also  met  there  Mr.  James  M'Coy  going  cloAvn  with  three 
horses,  one  of  which  he  very  kindly  oft'ered  me,  saying,  "  It 
was  better  to  ride  back  forty  or  fifty  miles,  than  to  go  ahead 
to  the  '  Prairie  an  Maurais,'  abont  twenty -five  miles  on  foot." 
I  proposed  going  that  far  at  least,  and  wrote  to  Mr.  N.  W. 
Kittson,  by  the  express,  to  send  my  horse  immediately.  I 
theiefore  thanked  him  very  kindly  and  pushed  ahead  with  a 
staff,  and  a  firm  determination  to  get  through  ;  forded  streams 
and  swamps  with  a  perfect  contempt  for  all  obstacles,  and  at 
noon  came  to  the  lodges  of  two  half-breed  families,  situated 
on  each  side  of  a  deep  stream,  with  any  quantity  of  dogs  and 
children,  cows  and  calves;  and  I  afterward,  when  too  late, 
saw  some  horses  in  the  distance.  A  pretty-looking,  half- 
breed  woman  came  paddling  up  the  stream,  in  a  log  canoe, 
and  soon  put  us  all,  bag  and  baggage,  safely  over,  when,  not 
accepting  pay  from  us,  she  threw  her  arms  around  the  neck  of 
one  of  my  voyagcnrs,  named  Laundry,  and  kissed  him  thrice 
—  very  tcmching  and  pathetic,  truly  !  I  walked  on  solus  much 
refreshed,  thinking  of  love  and  romance  in  the  wilderness  and 
prairie,  and  of  Jacob  and  Rachel  at  the  well. 

At  two,  P.  M.,  we  stopped  to  dine  on  the  banks  of  the  only 
lake  along  the  road  ;  after  which  I  distanced  the  men  out  of 
sight,  and  at  five,  P.  M.,  reached  the  River  Maurais,  the  hour 
and  place  I  had  fixed  by  letter  as  my  resting-point.  The 
men  soon  came  up,  and  at  sundown  we  started  on,  when  I  soon 
fell  lame  and  was  obliged  to  take  off  moccasins  and  stockings. 
The  men  were  now  out  of  sight  ahead,  on  a  full  run,  and  night 
fast  closing  in.  At  length,  at  dark,  after  proceeding  about 
three  miles,  I  was  overjoyed  at  meeting  a  half-breed  mounted 
on  my  good  old  horse  coming  at  full  gallop.  I  quickly  mount- 
ed into  his  place,  and  leaving  him  to  camp  upon  the  prairie, 
with  the  others,  I  returned  in  haste  at  least  ten  miles  of  the 
weary  road  through  her  majesty's  dominions,  and  crossed  the 
line  two  miles  to  the  north  of  this  as  quickly  as  I  would 
liave  done  if  one  of  her  best  regiments  had  been  upon  my 
heels.    I  reached  here  eventually  at  eight,  P.  "M.,  as  near 


322 


SKETCHES    BY   A   CAMP-FIRE. 


i  i 


.1 


ca  usea-up  man  as  well  can  be,  without  becoming  entirely  de- 
funct. 

When  you  consider  that  I  was  entirely  unaccustomeil  to 
such  tramps,  and  was  but  about  twenty  marching  hours  upon 
the  road,  and  much  impeded  by  the  long  prairie-grass  at  that, 
you  will  conclude  I  made  considerable  of  a  march. 

I  was  CRi)Ccially  desirous  of  reaching  here  to-night,  in  order 
to  write  a  number  of  lettr-..  ^^ome  bj  this  express,  and  those 
who  receive  any  of  this  u   '         11  value  them  accordingly,  for 
they  have  cost  me  dear,  I  a>,oare  you.     I  have  written  a  detail 
of  my  journey,  for  the  reason  that  rny  lower  extremities  are 
aching  as  though  compressed  within  a  two-horse-power  vice, 
and  serve  to  remind  me  of  the  one  thing  continually,  having 
bathed  them  in  spirits  and  hot  water,  and  anointed  them  with 
precious  ointment,  I  will  branch  off  at  something  else,  merely 
remark''np  that  the  whole  road  up  lies  over  a  wide  flat  prairie 
of  rich  soil,  bordered  on  the  left  with  a  belt  of  timber  extend- 
ing along  the  river;  none  of  the  other  rivers,  except  the  Mau- 
rais,  are  timbered.     I  met  large  numbers  of  carts  going  down 
to  Selkirk  to  join  the  lov/er  half-breeds  in  their  fail  hunt  up 
the  Assiniboin,  keeping  this  time  north  of  the  British  line,  in 
consequence  of  a  fight  they  had  with  the  Sioux,  over  one 
thousand  in  number,  in  July.      The  summer  hunt  was  un- 
successful.    Very  little  pemmican    was   made,  and  but  few 
robes  secured,  and  the  soor   r  the  buffalo  becomes   entirely 
extinct,  the  better  it  will  be  for  them.     They  will  then  give 
up  their  wandering,  Arab  mode  of  life,  and  go  at  farming  or 
some    other  useful  occupation  for  a  living.    At  present  they 
are  as  restless  as  regular  Bedouins,  and  if  they  wore  long 
beards,  and  had  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats-  one  might  think  he 
was  among  the  patriarchs  of  old —  "the  fathers  of  all  such  as 
dwell  in  tents." 

The  treaty  was  concluded  on  Saturday  evening,  after  the 
usual  amount  of  talk,  and  the  following  are  its  provisions. 
The  Chippewas  cede  all  their  land  from  the  line  north,  to  the 
Goose  and  Buff'alo  rivers,  and  thirty  miles  each  side  of  the 
Red  river— say  a  strip  sixty  miles  in  width  by  about  one  hun- 
dred long— and  they  are  to  receive  thirty  thousand  dollars 


LinTERS    FROM    TEMBINA    AND   SELKIRK. 


323 


cash  on  the  ratification  of  it  by  the  senate ;  eight  thousand 
dollars  thereafter  cash,  and  two  thousand  dollars  for  schools 
annually  for  twenty  years ;  the  whole  amounting  to  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty  thousand  dollars,  I  have  not  had  time  to  ex- 
amine the  treaty  yet,  but  suppose  they  remain  upon  the  lands 
and  have  all  the  advantages  as  before,  excepting  where  they 
may  be  settled  upon  and.  cultivated.  They  may  eonsider  it  a 
present  of  the  above  amount,  as  during  their  own  lifetime  they 
will  be  but  little  intruded  upon.  It  is  midnight  and  my  space 
is  full. 


Pkmbina,  Thursday,  September  26,  1851. 

We  leave  for  St.  Paul  on  Wednesday  next,  1st  October; 
our  first  day's  march  will  be  to  the  new  town  of  St.  Joseph 
on  the  Pembina  mountain,  as  it  is  called,  thirty  miles  to  the 
west  of  this  place,  the  governor  having  agreed  to  meet  the 
half-breeds  there,  a  number  being  about  to  assemble  for  the 
fall  hunt.  I  have  just  learned  that  those  from  the  settlements 
across  the  line  are  also  coming  up,  and  that  there  will  be 
some  three  hundred  lodges  there.  They  will  hunt,  however, 
along  the  line,  and  on  the  British  side,  the  buffalo  being  found 
on  that  side  as  well  as  ours.  Captain  Pope  to  the  contrary  not- 
withstanding. St.  Joseph  contains  half  a  dozen  houses  and 
two  stores.  Rev.  Mr.  Bellecourt  resides  there,  and  is  erecting  a 
log  church ;  and  I  have  heard  of  Mr.  Kittson's  determination 
to  break  up  the  post  at  this  place,  and  remove  there  too,  the 
ground  here  having  overflowed  for  the  last  three  years  succes- 
sively, Red  river  rising  thirty-one  and  thirty-three  feet  above 
low-water  mark,  and  houses  on  the  point  between  the  junction 
of  Red  river  and  Pembina,  being  flooded  to  the  depth  of  one 
and  three  feet  this  year  and  last.  Mr.  Kittson  was  obliged  to 
leave  and  live  upon  hills  near  by  for  more  than  a  month,  last 
spring. 

The  heaviest  floods  known  in  the  country  occurred  in  1824, 
'25,  and  '26  ;  the  latter  year  the  waters  rose  sixty-six  feet  in 

UCigili,  iiuu    liic   WiiOic    uuuuixy   waa    liuiiijjiciciy   uiuwiicu.    vui.  J 

a  large  party  left  Selkirk  in  consequence  and  made  an  over- 


ffl 


334 

Innd 


SKKTCUH8    nv    i    CAMI'-FiriK. 


jouniej'  ncross  the  jilains  to  St.  Pefei 


wliich  Inst  place  tliey  scttle.l 

riM ti        ■,  ^ 


'a  niid  Galen 


a,  near 


Til 


<om  floods  are  a  ,eri„,„  ol.jec.ion  to  tl,i«  valley,  an,l  to 
I  emb,„a  m  pa,-,  eular,  tl,e  «i,e  „f  wl.iel,  h  comparatk  lyl Iv 
.     ugl,  I     „„k  that  having  occun-ed  „,y  „t  inte.  val»  he  To: 
o.e,  .t  will  be  many  years  before  the  like  occurs  again      P ,  ! 
ly  m  conseqnencc  of  this  state  of  things,  there  is  not  a  partide 
0    a™,„g  do  e  here  no.,  and  on  o„r  arrival  we  were  obi  ge 
to  send  ™med,ately  to  Selkirk,  for  barley  for  our  horses     A 

and  s.xty  bushels,  and  occupied  nine  days  to  make  the  trin 
.av.ng  to  wait  till  this  year's  crop,  which  was  cut  and  still' 
t«ndn,g  ,„  the  fields,  in  shocks,  was  thrashed.     They  "ta, 
back,  on  Tuesday,  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  bushi  n  „,t 
and  upon  their  arrival  we  will  march.     Barley'is  worth  iu      ^ 
settlement  seventy-five  cents  a  bushel,  and  ccfsts  us  here  abo 
one  do  lar  and  fifty  cents.     Its  usual  price  when  no    xtra 
u.and  takes  place,  is  fifty  cents;  and  for  wheat,  seventy  five 
cents  the  pnce  paid  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Comply,  the  yea! 

[Z  ;   T".7'   ^«^''  ^■'^I'*'"''''-    "-''  f-Pcn  e      flCr 
nee  to  five  dollars  per  hundred  pounds,  according  t^  ki. 

wZ  of  •'"■;"  r'^-    '"■«  P^"I*'«  '''™' '"  «'"-l»-.    T  e 

Tee  to  !/•  ";    "f,     "  ""  f"'"P'^''  """^'  '■"'•  *'"'"•  ^'"-Plus  pvod- 
«c    to  stimulate  them  to  increased  exertions,  but  tin    is  owing 

to  then-  situation  merely,  and  is  an  evil  time  alone  can  remed  ^ 
ket  opened   to  rouse  them  into  more  activity  and  life      At 

p'X  '1 '7  ":r  t'"™^^  ""'  -P--.  for  their  lands 
pel  atie.    Each  settler  ha,  a  frontage  of  six  chains  upon  the 
river    and  extends  back  two  miles  in  depth.     Only  I  s,„all 
pa,. ,  however,  of  this  is  cultivated.     The'houses  a."^  of  Ig 
thatched    and   shingled  ;    are   warm   and   very   comfortable 

«tl.r    /  P'™'y  ""••"■"«  --""l  st,ables,  with  a  number  of  large 

n  then  giain  han-est,  the  people  were  all  busy  in  the  fields 
The  Indians  and  half-breeds,  men,  women,  and  ehildrerl.!: 
"IS  ana  Duiding  gi-ain  ,  others,  with  horse  and  ox-earts,'  haul- 


'  T.KTTETW    FROM    PEMBINA    AND   SELKIIiK.  323 

ii.g  in  tl.o,  sanK   aiul  Ktneki!)^  it.     Tt  afforded  an  interosth.g 
find    novel   si-ht  in   contrast  with  our  early  l.arvest  of  July. 
If  usually  lakes  jdaco  hero,  about  the  20th  Auf^ust,  and  is  a 
iiill   !!!():!t!i    !*,(,•,    this  year  than   common,  the  season  having 
heen  xvfy  c(dd  and  wet  up  to  the  17th  August,  up  to  which 
time  fears  were  entertained  for  the  loss  of  the  wliole  crops. 
'J'he  weather  fortunately  changed,  and  for  a  month  was  very 
warm  and  flue.     The  grain  all  ripened,  and  the  yield  is  large. 
Of  wheat  twenty  to  twenty-five  bushels,  and  barley  thirty-ll'^ve 
to  forty  bushels,  j)er  acre  ;  spring  wheat  is  sow^n  from  the  20th 
to  25th  of  May,  and  barley  from  the  1st  to  5th  of  June  ;  pota- 
toes, the  largest  and  finest  I  have  ever  seen,  produce  largely, 
more   to  the  acre,  than  in  Minnesota.     Imlian  corn  matures, 
but  is  not  raised  to  much   extent;  a  small  variety  is  grown, 
but  the  situation  is  too  near  Lake  Winnipeg,  which  influences 
their  climate,  and  the  late  spring  frosts  are  apt  to  injure  it.     I 
am  told  that  corn  matures -here  better,  and  that  the  season  is 
about  one  week  later  in  the  fall,  than  down  below.     We  had 
hot  corn  on  our  table  on  the  12th  instant,  the  day  after  our 
arrival  here,  which  was  grown  in  Mr.  Kittson's  garden,  but  it 
will  never  be  much  cultivated  in  these  settlements,  the  other 
crops  proving  more  valuable. 

'J'he  English  and  Scotch  settlers  extend  along  both  sides  of 
lied  river,  from  the  Assiniboin  to  lower  Fort  Garry,  or  "  the 
f  tone  post,"  as  it  is  called,  about  twenty  miles  below.  This  is 
fnr  the  best  post  of  the  settlement;  eighteen  windmills  are 
scattered  along  the  west  bank,  upon  which  this  lengthy  ser- 
pentine village  of  six  thousand  people,  is  ])rincipally  situated, 
and  along  the  line  is  a  solitary  water-mill,  and  another  at 
Sturgeon  creek,  about  eight  miles  up  the  Assiniboin,  built  by 
Mr.  M'Dermott,  a  very  wealthy  and  enterprising  Irish  citizen, 
who  came  out  to  the  colony  in  1812.  He  is,  therefore,  one  of 
the  pioneers,  a  free,  good,  hearty,  and  sociable  gentleman. 
He  is  In  fact  an  every  man's  man,  and  has  an  open  house  and 
a  ready  hand  to  offer  to  friend  or  stranger.  To  his  son-in-law, 
Mr.  Ballantine,  I  am  much  indebted  also,  for  various  kind  at- 
tentions shown,  and  I  can  assure  you,  I  never  v/as  among  a 
kinder  people. 


■l( 


il_ 


f-l 


32(5 


SKETCIIUS    DV    A    CIAMl'-HKB, 


The  Rev.  Jcilii,   Illiick,  fl- 
our pjiity  out  Cmm  St.  I'liul,  w 


>ni  l[oiitipal,  ivho 


ncconi|iniii,.,l 


IIM    11 


A»  we  p.i:,.,e,l  .!„wn  tlio  ficltl«i!ont  on  our  first  arrival  „„„ 
plo  came  out  and  took  „,  I,y  tli„  l.an.I,  ,„ld  .is  ,v«  wore  atfa" 
ge.»   „„.l  ask.,,   f  tlio  new  niiuiMcv  waa  not  soon  coZgZ 

fo   y  foot  .,   licwi,  ]„g,,  wu,,  „,,i„g|„  ,„„f,  „,,i^,,  y  .^ 

a  ure  1  tin,  winter,  an.l  aftorward  as  a  rcsldoncc.  tCZ 
tciul  to  build  li,„,  „ue  of  stone  next  year.  Tliey  made  ,L1 
....juiries  concerning  Iii.n  of  „„,  „„d  j;ere  all  ni  icl  itap  i  X 
ea  at  finding  he  did  not  speak  tlio  Gaelic.  That  1  c  w«  " 
gei.  einan  and  a  Christian,  a  good  LVeiich  scholar  a^'ko 
tlie  Knghsh  flncntly,  did  not  make  amends  altoge  her  Vriiis 
tt;  .::7  ■"  ""'  "'"•«-'™'>-e  Gaenc,  which  fs  the  ttlgue 

The  episcopalians  have  three  fine  churches  surmonntod  bv 
.gb  steeples,  two  large  ones  built  of  stone,  at  each  ei  d  ol  t  e 
li-nglisb  part,  an.l  near  the  forts,  and  one  of  logs  neiu  the  c  „ 
tre      1 , shop  Aiidersoii,  who  resides  at  the  upper  cii^      d 

;::::d:"rtt:::ir-  ■^"" "  -'  ^"''" '--'  '"^^^^-^''^ 

The  catholics  have  a  large  cathedral  opposite  the  npner  fort 
a  .  the  mouth  of  tbc  Assiniboi„;  built  „f  st„„e,  i„  Tg^a  t  a' 
til  unfinished;  the  Iiuge,  massive,  prison-like  wall  infi;^^ 
being  cracked  and  shattered,  and  is  surmounted  by  twl  stee 
p  OS-one  finished,  the  bare  timbers  of  the  other  Z.Z 
a  ft,  dark  wrtli  age.  The  interior  was  being  remodencd- 
carpeiiters  were  at  work;  the  high,  arched  ceiling  just  pahfted 
of     deep  mazarene  blue,  and  men  at  work  on  scafeldintw 

C'lnLViitc  7'"'"  "t"  '"'"""'  "^  «"--  p'i..to/     a" 

veiy  aitis  .like  manner.  I  was  told  tl  ..t  the  nuifa  at  the  con 
vent  jnst  by  were  to  have  done  that  part  of  the  wo^  though 
they  were  not  present  when  I  was  there.  ^ 

borne  five  or  six  priests  are  connected  with  the  chnrch  and 

"£'  mo  xfcou  liver. 


THK   HKI.KrUK    SKTl'MaiENT. 


827 


I 


clcoincd  ; 
y  known 

ival,  peo- 
orc  straw- 
iiing  also, 
tliirty  l»y 
ill  use  us 
'J'l»ey  in- 
de  many 
sappoint- 
20  was  a 
ihI  Kpoko 
!!•  for  his 
3  tongue 

nitod  by 
id  of  tlie 
tlie  cen 
I'cli,  had 
»ig»  with 

per  fort, 
32,  and 
in  front 
vo  stee- 
)wering 
cilled  — 
painted 
ng  dec- 
d  in  a 
lie  con- 
though 

'\h  and 
omenta 


* 

V- 


At  tlio  fort  thoro  are  tiiirtcon  rf.sidc.nt  fainiljcs  of  pensioners, 
and  the  r('n:nindcr,  to  th(5  number  of  seventy,  reside  within 
(wo  miles'  distance,  up  the  Assiniboin,  on   the   north   bank, 
'i'hey  have  each  twenty  acres  of  ground,  and  those  most  dis- 
tant up  the  river  have  forty  acres,  well  fenced  and  cultivated, 
with  neat  one  story  log  and  frame  houses,  j)ainted  white,  nnd 
everything  around  them  betokens  plenty.     None  are  incapaci- 
tated for  manual  labor,  and  many  are  quite  young;   and  while 
some  have  lost  nothing  but  a  finger  or  thumb,  others  perhaps 
Jiave  lost  less  useful  members,  and  are  sound,  active,  a  id  hardy 
fellows.     Still  they  have  done  the  state  same  service,  and  they 
know  it  too,  and  growl  continually  that  they  are  not  better  off. 
I  can  say  no  more  concerning  Selkirk  or  its  people,  for  the 
express  is  ready  to  start. 


The  following  is  some  additional  information   concerning 
rembinawnd  Selkirk: — 

The  attention  of  traders  and  merchants  is  at  this  time  turned 
with  a  good  deal  of  interest  toward  the  northwest,  more  par- 
ticularly  the  Red  river  or  Selkirk  settlement,  and  to  Pembina 
which  IS  now  merely  a  small  trading-post  within  the  American 
line.  Before  the  running  of  the  line  of  division  between  the 
American  and  British  territory,  on  the  forty -ninth  parallel  of 
latitude,  Pembina  was  the  headquarters  of  the  Selkirk  settle- 
ment. Since  that  time  it  has  steadily  declined,  till  within  a 
year  or  two.  The  government  has  contracted  to  run  a  regular 
monthly  mail,  twelve  times  in  the  year,  between  St.  Paul  and 
Pembina,  and  hereafter  communication  may  be  considered  as 
regularly  established.  The  journey  is  made  -n  the  summer  on 
horseback,  and  in  the  winter  with  dog-teams  and  show-shoes. 
Ihe  more  difficult  season  for  performing  the  service  will  be 
during  the  high-water  months  of  May  and  June;  for  between 
Penibnia  and  St.  Paul  there  are  fifteen  or  sixteen  rivers  which 
have  to^be  crossed  otherwise  than  by  fording— usually  by  rafts 
and  buffalo  eanoos.  Many  of  the  streams  arc  annually  bridged 
over  by  the  caravans  of  traders,  and  as  often  swept  away. 


I 


.Ok. 


»    J 


•    i 


828 


The  Rod 


»*^<'lkirk 


SKKTCHKS    ny    A   CAMP-FIKE. 


river  Hottloment  wnn 


>  a  H('ottinli   iiolil 


«"i''s  Hny  C'.,ni|.n.i3'.     Thoy  I.ohi 


iKiimlly  projoctcd  ],y  Lord 
f^rnm,,  Inrg^dy  interested  !„  tlie  Hud- 


n 


vnst  extent  of  Inndt 


-I  uc  main   settlement,  known  as  "  T?n,l    i?:.      »  • 
about  six,,.  „,i,e,  no,,I,  of  Po„,bi„„,  „,!":„  tl  Hv      /,     ^^ 

of  June,  «„d  lastn.g  two  n,o„H,s,  and  tho  otl.er  on      !  ,n 
of  September,  and  lasting  till  the  10th  of  Nove"  b  r     Z 
■ve  wholly  on  bnffalo-n.eat.  and  are  engaged  IX  in  ore     ^ 

pound,  both  faita-  r^J:  s':., -r :  -:::;,;-: 

J  xi>e  cenrs,  and  a  good  robe  is  two  dollars  Tl,« 
hunters  lead  a  free,  happy,  wild,  romantic  life,  and  a.^  Jen 
...the  settlement,  temperate  and  welLbebaved.  '       ""' 

1  be  farmers  raise  wheat,  oats,  potatoes,  barley,  cattle  and 
sheep.     Oxen  are  worth  from  fiftv  to  sixtv  dolll  ?         , 
cows  from  twelve  to  fifteen  dol  J.  "a  go^^  ct  t  rsV;  ^J 
or  fifty  dollars;  and  a  horse  trained  to  hunt  buffalo  w  11  S 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  and  sometimes  mo  e       " 
Iheu-  wheat  .s  equal  to  any  in  the  world,  weighing  from 
8.xty-five  to  seventy  pounds  to  the  bushel.    Barley  ami  on^ 
are  also  heavy;  and  potatoes  and  all  kinds  of  g"  den  vi    f 
b    s  grow  luxuriantly.     TAe  Und  is  never  mlnnrel     From 

'  ,1  If  ""^  t  ^''".^^««  "^  -0-  Mis  in  winter,  and  ra" 
..  -....,„„„  ,rum  i^ovember  to  April.     Corn  is  raised,  but  it  is 


THK    SET.KIRK    STTlLOirNT. 


^29 


not  re 


Vm\ 


nil  ns  a 


8111-0  crop.     'J'lio  TltidHotrH  Bay  Compnny 
pay  rejriilurly  only,  Imwpvor,  for  wlint  tlipy  wIkIi  to  cnnsimio, 
osccpt  ill  S0.M8OIIH  of  Kcnrcity,  oiglity-seven  centH  a  buHliel  for 
wlicat,  fifty  f(»r  (tats  and  barloy,  and  twenty-five  for  potatoes. 
Tlioic  is  no  export  trade.     They  receive  tlieir  supplies  of  dry 
g  ods,  woollen   clotlis,  and   liquors,  from  York  factory,  a  storo 
of  tlie  Hudson's  Hay  (Company,  situated  on  Hudson's  '>"v,  seven 
liiindred  miles  from   Red   River.     It  requires  two  months  to 
make  the  journey,  and  there  are  tliirty-six  portages  to  Le  made 
in  goin^^  tliat  distance.     The  title  of  the  settlement  is  "The 
Red  River  C^olony,"  and  it  is  ruled  by  a  governor  appointed 
by  the  queen.     'J1ie  magistrates,  counsellors,  and  officers,  re- 
ceive their  commissions  from  the  committee  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company.     'JMie  jurisdiction  of  the  governor  extends  a 
hundred  miles  in  all  directions  from  Fort  Garry,  except  over 
tlie  American  line.     Seventy  pensioners  at  Fort  Garry  is  all 
the  military  force,  and  they  are  under  the  command  of  Major 
Cablwell,  the  governor,  who  is  also  a  pensioner. 

'JMie  wheat  and  other  grain  is  ground  by  windmills,  of  which 
there  are  eighteen,  and  two  water-mills.  There  are  no  saw- 
mills, all  the  deals  used  being  cut  up  by  whip-saws.  There 
are  no  fulling  mills,  or  manufactures  of  any  kind. 

Above  and  below  the  settlement  on  Red  river  there  are  ex- 
tensive tracts  of  timber— of  pine,  oak,  whitewood,  poplar,  and 
cedar.  The  ice  gets  out  of  Red  river  about  the  20th  of  April, 
and  it  is  closed  about  the  1st  or  10th  of  November.  Tlie  cold 
is  sometimes  excessive  in  the  settlement.  Mercury  freezes 
once  or  twice  every  year,  and  sometimes  the  spirit  thermome- 
ter indicates  a  temperature  as  low  as  fifty-two  degrees  below 
zero !  When  such  a  low  temperature  occurs,  there  is  a  perva- 
ding haze  or  smoky  appearance  in  the  atmosphere,  resembling 
a  generally-diffused  yellow  smoke,  and  the  sun  looks  red  as  in 
a  sultry  evening.  As  the  sun  rises,  so  does  the  thermometer; 
and  when  the  mercury  thaws  out  and  stands  at  ten  or  fifteen 

below  zero,  a  breeze  sets  in,  and  pleasant  weather  follows 

that  is,  as  pleasant  as  can  be  while  the  mercury  keeps  below 
zero  as  continually  as  a  fish  in  his  own  element,  and 


up  above  the  surface  just  about  as  often. 


conim 


S 


330 


SKETCHES   BY   A   CAMP-FIRR. 


■ 


«  length  of  tijfro  J:lt  n^th  ";  d  '""Tr'  *'''  "'"''  "'"'» 
Hea  nve.  wU.  have  H^^l^Ci^it^X::^!:'^,' 
same  th.ng  occurs  when  the  wind  blows  frTm  the  saTe  .V 

Nor^lSctSct  tot:  Lrr' ""  r  '--^-^  ■•» 
V  wate.  flowing  it:  H:tn;rt;:rtL?rd::nt''r'' 

to  deal  'and  taT:,!  rnaT^^^B'  m"  "T?"'™  "^''^ 
they  have  extended  tl  eir  t  ;"d  2„  ^  .T  ,*'"'  '''"'"'y- 
by  the  rivers  that  flow  "to'ti;  A«Hc  "L  A^f"  7'"''^ 
county  west  of  the  Rock/m^ntt  Tt^C^'^^ZtTr 
embraces  all  North  America  (with  the  except  o"ofTh:R"'' 
6.an  possessions  in  the  extreme  northwest  and  p!!  T  ?™' 
the  northeast)  that  lies  north  of  ZcZ!';,  *?'f "'«'"'  *» 

States  and  its  possessions.  TCl'iXZt  omf"^ 
pany  commences  on  the  Pacific  coast  om>„I  .^  ^  ■  ,  '''""" 
Vancouver's  island,  at  latitude  forty  nrea'nVLt  7"'"';"^ 
parallel  to  the  southeastern  point  of  Le  Lke  of  .f  w  "^ 
thence  on  the  highlands  that  'ivide  tl  wa te"  wMch  flo  '/' 
Lake  Superior  and  the  St.  Lawrence  frimtholfl  •'""' 

Hudson's  bay  east  to  the  An„  ?  *®  """"'"S  '"'» 

boihood.  ^    ^  **^  "®  ^'^^  our  neigli- 

Lord  Selkirk,  having  obtained  a  e-ranf  fmrr,  *i, 
a  territory  extending  Lm  Fort  Gaf  "1  t^dre'ST  "' 
circle,  on  certain  conditions,  came  oui  with  M,  „  1  \  * 

fore  remarked,  in  1813  Thev  L  •  i  j  I  ""^^  **  ''«■ 
some  time.  I.;  ISSs!  1826,  a  d^srihrR  T^-  "'""'"''  '"' 
its  banks,  and  produc  d  universal  dtore!  """l  T"^"^'^ 

of  the  most  wLlthy  and  iZe  t  c  -rirftle'r""^ 
party  of  whom,  con.io„v~  ^^  nf.^  jcitizens  left  the  place ;  a 
"      ■  ""s  "'  ^luBsrs. irancis  Langet,  Philip  P. 


THE  SELKIRK  SETTLEMFNT. 


331 


ScLntner,  Louis  Chetlain,  Peter  Iteindshacker,  Antoine  Brickcr, 
raul  Gyrber,  John  Baptiste  Verain,  John  Tyrey,  and  others, 
with  their  wives  and  families  (German  Swiss  from  Geneva  and 
that  vicinity,  speaking  the  French  language),  came  down  and 
settled  at  Gratiot's  Grove,  near  Galena,  Illinois.  At  that  time 
there  were  large  smelting  operations  carried  on  by  Colonel 
Henry  Gratiot. 

The  party  named  came  out  to  Selkirk  in  1817  — the  first 
hand  being  nearly  all  Scotchmen,  but  the  second  from  the  con- 
tinent. Those  emigrating  to  Illinois,  the  most  of  whom  are 
now  living,  have  been  among  the  first  citizens  and  worthy 
members  of  society,  handing  down  their  virtues  to  their  chil- 
uren. 

The  origin  of  the  floods  which  did  such  immense  damage  on 
Red  river,  in  the  years  before  named,  has  never  been  satisfac- 
torily accounted  for ;  but  it  is  surmised  that*  they  came  from 
the  superabundant  water  of  the  branches  of  the  Missouri,  burst- 
ing  over  the  low  ridge  which  divides  the  waters  flowing  into 
the  gulf  of  Mexico  from  those  flowing  into  Hudson's  bay. 

The  only  tax  which  the  colonists  of  Red  River  pay  is  four 
per  cent,  on  all  the  goods  they  import,  whether  from  England 
or  elsewhere ;  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  pay  the  same 
on  all  the  imports  they  sell  or  consume  within  the  limits  of  the 
Red-River  Colony.  The  company  import  goods  and  merchan- 
dise from  England,  and  charge  the  consumer  in  the  colony 
eeventy-five  per  cent,  advance  on  the  London  invoice  prices, 
for  freight,  insurance,  duty,  land-carriage,  and  profit.  They 
sell  bar  and  sheet  iron  for  twelve  cents  a  pound ;  sugar,  Lon- 
don crushed,  twenty-four  cents;  tea,  from  fifty  cents  to  two 
dollars ;  and  other  articles  in  proportion.  The  imports  for  the 
last  five  years  have  averaged  one  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
from  all  sources ;  and  the  one  thousand  dollars  revenue  is  de- 
voted to  schools,  roads,  bridges,  and  internal  improreTnp.nts, 
all  salaries  being  paid  by  the  company.  The  colonists  export 
comparatively  nothing  — the  only  article  that  will  pay  being 
furs  (not  including  bufi-nlo-robes),  on  which  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  have  a  mononnlv.  nvav  mihioV,  *!.«,,  — a-u  —•ii.  ^ 
jealous  eye. 


533 


SKKTCriES   BY    A   CAMP-FIRE. 


d "I  L      T  "       ^'^        "  commenced  to  bring  forward  „,e;- 
Oyuuhse.     Iweuty  per  cent,  duty  is  demanded  of  the  Sel 

sh^  R:d  r^^^-^"^^  ^"'  thirty  per  cent.,  on  thei^lfet 
«ms.  Red  River  gentlemen  express  the  assurance  that  thev 
never  can  pay  that  tax,  an<l  that  hereafter  they  will  be  ob'  !!^ 
^  avail  themselves  of  the  boats  and  ships  of  ^hl  !1  compj  ';' 
We  presume  Congress  will  look  into  this  matter,  and  dILrimi 

:::;rrsr'^^^^'""^^^^*^-«  ^^^^^  ^-^  -onsfotrr- 


TRIBUTE  TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF  SELKIRK  SETTLEMENT. 

How  sweetly  lu  this  blest  retreat 

The  cool,  calm  evenings  fall, 
While  scenes  and  sounds  familiar  once 

A  far-off  land  recall  1 

Or  morning,  when  the  hill-side  green 

Is  bright  with  golden  beams. 
And  flowers  as  large  and  fair  as  those 

Of  childhood's  wildest  dreams. 

How  deep  the  solitude  which  reigns 

In  yon  thick  forest-glades, 
Where  under  tangled  leaves  and  flowers 

Bright  morn  to  twilight  fades  I  — 

While  o'er  thy  fertile  prairie  wide 

The  silvery  streamlet  flows, 
Its  music  heard,  but  not  to  break, 

The  spell  of  deep  repose. 

Selkirk  I  thy  sweet  vale  contains 

All  good  this  world  can  give 

Peace,  health,  and  comfort— what  remaing 

To  wish  for,  but  to  live  ? 

I  feel  thy  beauty  and  thy  charms 

Demand  from  me  no  feeble  praise ; 
I  have  no  power,  yet  fain  I  would 

A  better,  warmer  tribute  rajaa 


Tin.;   SKLKIUK   SlCrrLEMENT. 

For,  could  I  lenve  tliia  cheerful  vale, 
Anrl  quit  tJiy  hospitable  roofs, 

Without  one  sigh,  one  keen  regret, 
And  of  thy  merits  leave  no  proofa  — 

I  BhouJd  unworthily  repay 
The  kindness  of  those  friends 

Whose  worth  deserves  as  warm  a  lay 
As  love  or  friendship  ever  pens. 

My  footsteps.  Fate,  perchance,  may  lead 

To  other  lands  and  climes, 
And  treacherous  Memory  may  forget 

The  joys  of  bygone  times: 

But  thou,  sweet  Selkirk,  from  my  heart, 
Though  weary  then  and  worn, 

Though  care  and  sorrow  cloud  my  path. 
Thy  name  shall  not  be  torn  I 

I  love  thee —  for  thy  woodland  scenes 
Recall  my  childhood's  hours; 

And  as  my  native- state  is  dear, 
So  are  thy  woods  andflowewl 


dsa 


334 


DISTANCES   AND   SOUNDINGS. 


% 


P, 


TABLE  OK  DISTANCES.   BV  TDK  LAND   ROUTK,  KF.OM  THK  MOUTO  OF  THK  Mmx«,^ 
TO  THE  PEMBINA   SETTLEMENT.  MINNESOTA 


From  Fort  Snelling. 


Mill! 


To  falls  of  St  Anthony.  ' 

To  Banfill's,  at  mouth  of  Rice  creek.'.".; 

To  mouth  of  Rum  rive-  .  

To  mouth  of  Elk  river    

To  Big  lake '.'.'.'.'.'. 

To  Big  meadows   .....!!;]; 

To  Sauk  rapids  ...      

To  David  lake 

To  Wiiite-Bear  lake  . . .' 

To  Pike  lake 

T.)  maiu  branch  of  Chipp; Va  river  .*  .* ! 

To  1  cnme  de  Terre  or  Potato  river. . .      

lo  Rabbit  river 

To  first  crossing  of  Red'riVer'oV  the*  North 

s  S-rLt;^!:^.  ."!!'  rz :!  ^^^  ^^^^'^-  •••••••••- 

To  Shayenne  river ' .*  * 

To  Maple  river '.!!*.*.!'.".!.* 

To  Rush  river .'  * 

To  second  point  of  Rush  river.*  .*  .* 

lo  point  of  ridge 

To  main  branch  of  Elm*  river* 

To  south  branch  of  Goose  river  '.'.'.'.' 

lo  Salt  lake 

To  main  branch  of*  b'oJs'e' river* 

lo  crossing  of  Goose  river.         

To  Turtle  river 

To  Big  Salt  river. ...'.,.'. 

To  Little  Salt  river     ^H 

To  Little  Hill  river 9 

To  Steep  Hill  river.!!!!!]  "II  "I I  ^H 

To  Hartshorn  river .' 

To  Mud  river  and  Poplar  *i8l*a*n*d*  .* ! 

1  o  branch  of  Tongue  river  . .  

To  mouth  of  Pembina  river * 


Totnl. 


9 
13 

8| 

11 
29 
39 
8 
11 
10 
12 
18 
20 
13| 
11 
17 
184 

9* 
16 

H 
H 
H 

10^ 

H 

18 


88J 

47 

«5^ 

7c* 

iodI 
i. 

•i 

i. 
a 


144* 
152* 
168^ 
173* 
185* 

* 

1 


20S* 
223* 


4* 

8 

7 
16 
10* 


237 

248 

265 

283* 

293 

309 

316* 

825 

338i 

344 

346* 

3641 

384 

398 

406* 

410 

413 

420 

436 

446* 


TABLE  OF  SOUNDINGS  OF  RED 


WVEB  OF  THE  NORTH,  ETO. 

From  mouth  of  Pembina  river  to  the  monfli  nf  h.at  ^      •  ^ect. 

^rom  Red-Lake  river  above  mouth  °^  ^'^'^'^'  "^^^ 1^ 

*rom  Rou-Lnke  river  to  mouth  of  Goose *r*iver! ."' 


14 

Over  rapids  near  mouth  orSand^Hm^river ''^'' ^^ 

(xoose  river  above  mouth  6 

From  mouth  of  Goose  river  *to*mou*th*o*f  Sh'aVen'ne' -,  ?* 

Shayenne  river  above  mouth  «y«nne jj 

PrZ  wVlT^  '''y^^  ^'^  "^«"'''  of ' Wiid-Rice"  river* «* 

From  W,ld-R,ce  river  to  Sioux-Wood  river  .  ^, 

bioux-Wood  river  above  mouth  .  8 J 

OttertaiUake  . . . .  4 

''    "   ' 19 


MINNKSOTA 


1"«.  I  TotfiL 


H 
i 


16* 
25|f 
88f 
47 
66i 
7«f 
105^ 
144* 
152* 
163* 
173* 
185* 
203* 
223* 
237 
248 
265 
283* 
293 
809 
816* 
825 
338J 
344 
346* 
864* 
884 
398 
405* 
410 
413 
420 
436 
446* 


Feet. 
.  15 
.  14 
.  13 
.  6 
,  6* 
.   11 

6* 

9 

8* 

4 


APPENDIX. 

PRINCE     RUPERT'S     LAND-THE    HUDSON    BAY   AND    NORTHWEST 
COMPANY~THE     ESQUIMAUX,    MONTAGNES,     CREES       SAUtTux 
SIOUX,    ASSINIBOINS,    ETC.  SAUTEUX, 

VelTllTT^'T""'^::^  °^'**'''  ^^^^"P*^^«  «f  Prince  Ru- 
pert  s  land,  etc    is  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  G.  A.  Bellecourt 
of  Pembina,  and  was  addressed  to  the  Hon  Aletandor  rI. 
aey  president  of  the  "Minnesota  Historica^st  et^'    ifr; 

^ST^i  7Lt' '''' '--''''-  -  -^«  'y^' 

The  discovery  of  America,  by  Christopher  Columbus  in 
1492,  gave  a  new  impulse  to  the  spirit  of  enterprTe  JW 
that  period,  bold  navigators  launched  fearle^  o'-to  th" 

tJ'Cl!"'  -'''  -'  ^--^  Pe  Jve^ce^Tth^et -: 

It  was  about  the  year  1607,  that  the  celebrated  navWor 

Henry  Hudson,  then  in  the  employ  of  the  rn»i;<,i,   ,.     S*™' 

the  magnificent  bay  to  which  h'e  J^ve  hl^^mf;  and  i^ reu 

pursuing  h>s  researches,  he  penetrated  five  hundred  Teales' 

ar  her  north  than  any  traveller  had  done  before  h  m      it  wa 

Some  time  after  this  period,  the  English,  in  order  to  nrofit 
ttn,t=edt!f.  .til-1-.^^.t  ^^  .--  "-4 
.ou.bay,andenteredinioTl^To;t*;aZr;2:;,f;t 


336 


APPKNDTX. 


T  Kl.ans,  wl.o  clc..oo,ulc,l,  during  tl,e  sumn.or  season,  the  various 
stronms  winch  pour  their  waters  into  this  hay,  bringing  with 
them  these  trophies  of  their  success  in  the  chase 

These  settlers  built  at  first  only  a  few  houses  in  which  to 
pass  the  winter.     Here  they  suffered  greatly  from  the  scurvy. 
M  nch  broke  out  ainong  them.     But  the  strong  desire  of  gain 
^vhich  actuated  them,  rendered  them  regardless  alike  of  the 
rnvnges  of  disease  and  the  rigor  of  the  climate. 
^    The  French  of  Canada  also  wished  to  establish  themselves 
in  this  region,  pretending  that,  as  that  country  formed  a  part 
of  the   same  continent  as  New  France,  they  had  the  right  to 
trade  with  the  natives  that  high  up  and  even  higher.     Several 
of  tbe.r  adventurers  had  penetrated  as  far  north  as  the  bay 
of  Hudson,  as  early  as  the  year  1656,  and  in  the  intermediate 
time  between  that  and  the  year  1680,  when  Groseillers  and 
Kmlisson  left  Quebec  for  the  above-named  bay  with  two  ves- 
sels, which  were  but  poorly  equipped  for  such  an  expedition 
1  he  persons  engaged   in  this  enterprise   only  succeeded   in 
erecting  a  few  forts,  whence  they  sallied  forth  and  attacked 
the  English  settlements  in  the  neighborhood,  and  were  in  their 
turn  attacked   by  them  ;  thus   exhibiting,  in   the  horrors  of 
civilization, more  cruelty  than  the  savages  with  whom  they  had 
come  to  trade.     Such  have  been,  at  every  period,  among  the 
sad  effects  of  an  inordinate  love  .of  gain.     These  dissensions 
between  the  English  and  the  French  did  not  cease  till  the 
ratification  of  the  treaty  of  Utrecht. 

The  result  of  these  wars  between  the  two  contending  people 
.was,  that   the  English   obtained  the  sole  occupancy  of  the 
neighborhood  of  Hudson's  bay,  and  both  shores   of  Nelson 
river.      But  many  French    companies,  established    partly   at 
Montreal,  continued  the  commerce  in  furs ;  which  they  prac- 
tised  almost  exclusively  in   all  the  rest  of  the  northwestern 
part  of  North  America,  extending  their  expeditions  even  so  far 
as  the  Rocky  mountains.     Many  places  in  these  regions  still 
retain  the  names  of  celebrated  personages  and  houses  which 
existed  at  the  time  of  their  discovery;  as,  for  instance.  Lake 
Bourbon   Dauphin  river.  Fort  la  Reine  ;  and  a  missionary,  of 
whom  1  have  not  been   able  to  learn  the  namp..  m^d^  s4--l 


^ 


PUNOE    KUPKlil'b    LAND. 


337 


(lays'  march  up  the  river  Saskadjiwan  {Kisiskadjiwan,  current 
which  turns-  round). 

We  have  no  evidence  that  the  French  ascended  higher  up 
tl.an  three  days'  march  above  Lake  Bourbon,  ahmg  the  river 
1  as,  or  Saskadjiwan.     The  first  who  left  Canada  with  views 
of  coinmerce  m,  this  country,  was  Thomas  Ourry,  who  ascended 
the  river  Saskadjiwan,  in  176G.    Up  to  this  time  the  Canadian 
traders  did  not  venture  any  higher  up  than  Grand  Portage,  at 
the  northern  extremity  of  Lake  Superior.     His  voyage,  which 
proved  to  be  very  profitable,  encouraged   others  to  follow  his 
example      James  I'inley  made   a   voyage   also,  which   was 
equally  happy.     But  as  these  adventurers,  in  travelling  thus 
far  into  the  interior,  intercepted  the  furs  which  had  before  this 
time  been  brought  by  the  Lidians  to  Hudson's  bay,  the  English 
traders  became  jealous  of  them,  and   advanced  farther  into 
tiie  interior.     From  this  we  date  the  commencement  of  a  long 
series  of  disorders  and  excesses,  of  which  the  details  were  the 
moi-e  revolting  as  the  certainty  of  impunity  gave  free  course  to 
all  the  passions. 

Joseph  Frobisher  undertook  to  penetrate  farther  than  any 
ox  his  predecessors  had  done,  and  went  as  far  as  Churchill 
which  18  beyond  the  fifty-ninth  degree  of  latitude.     The  fol- 
owing  year  his  brother  went  as  far  as  L^IIc  a  la  Crosse.     In 
1778, 1  eter  Pond  entered  English  river,  thus  called  by  Frob- 
isher, and  pursued  his  course  to  the  river  L'Orignal,  where  he 
passed  the  winter.     One  day,  after  he  had  made  some  of  the 
Indians  drunk,  he  was  so  annoyed  by  them  that,  to  rid  himself 
of  their  importunity,  he  gave  one  of  them  so  large  a  dose  of 
laudanum  that  he  was  plunged  into  an  eternal  sleep.     This 
murder  cost  the  life  of  a  trader  and  all  his  assistants.     And 
any  trader,  or  any  white  man,  who  would  have  dared  to  show 
Ins  face  in  this  place,  or  on  the  Assiniboin  river,  would  have 
fallen  a  victim  to  the  sanguinary  vengeance  of  these  exas- 
pel^ated  savages,  had  not  the  smallpox  broken  out  among  them 
and  produced  a  diversion  in  favor  of  the  whites.     This  dread- 
ful scourge  spread  terror  and  desolation  among  all  these  people. 
IM.oever  was  nor  attacked  by  it  fled  into  the  most  profound 
depths  of  the  forest,  far  from    the  presence   of   the   whites. 


iii 


V    ^1 


338 


APPENDIX. 


■  » 


About  two  t]„r,ls  of  their  population  perished.  Their  corpses 
lay  on  the  ground  ;  the  masters  became  the  food  of  their  own 
dogs,  or  of  the  wolves.  From  this  period  is  dated  also  the 
army  of  the  great  pieotte  (quarrel).     This  was  abont  1780 

Ih.s  same  year  Peter  Pond  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr. 

Wadin.     ll.ese  two  men  were  of  a  character  too  opposite  to 

be  mnted,  as  .t  soon  appeared.     At  a  festival  given  by  Pond 

to  Wad.n   the  latter  was  killed  by  the  former,  who  sl^t  him 

n  the  th,gh  w,th  a  pistol.     The  ball  broke  the  artery,  tl" 

lond  was  tried  and  acquitted  at  Montreal,  but  be  was  not 
ncquuted   .n  the  eyes  of  the  people  who  heard  of  the  trans! 
action.      And    ,n  general,  the  judgment  pronounced  in  his 
case  was  cousnlered  as  unheard-of,  or  as  containing  too  much 
of  the  myster.ous  to  do  honor  to  the  judge  who  pronounced  U 
In  1781    four  canoes  filled  with  traders  went  up  as  high  as 
■Portag.  de  la  LoC.c,"  some  high  lauds  between  ?he  Safkad 
J  uan  nver  and  the  Polar  sea.     At  last,  in  1783,  was  formed 
the  company,  which  has  since  become  so  famous,  nnder"he 

Be2m  7r"'"r'""  ^""""""y-     ™»  fi-'  factors  were 

Benjamm  and  Joseph  Frobisber,  and  Simon  M-Tavish      it 

was  first  composed  of  sixteen  partners.     P.  Pond  and  P.  Pans- 

MKef,:i:-i„^l4*"^™''"J°'"«''  -">■  «-S-y,  M.Leod,  and 

These  opposing  interests  were  the  cause  of  disorders  of 
every  knul ;  so  much  so,  that  these  companies  rendered  them- 
sehes  despicable  even  in  the  eyes  of  the  savages,  who  weTe 
astonished  to  find  that  their  own  manners  were^much  bit  er 
than  those  of  men  whom,  in  other  respects,  they  regarded  as 

ties,  Giegory  saw  one  of  his  companions  killed  before  his 
eyes,  and  several  of  their  assistants  wounded.  It  was  eL  to 
be  concetved.  that  their  common  interest  demanded  a  Zee 
and  cordial  union.  This  they  comprehended  somewhat  ate 
arid  at  last,  in  1787.  all  these  companies  united  together  a"i 
thus  increased  the  number  of  partners  to  twenty  six  The 
forty  thousand  pounds  sterling,  which  their  commerce  vi.ld 


PBINCK   BITKKt's   land. 


839 


1798  the  cmpany  .ncensca  the  nnmber  to  forty-six  wh,V 

Coi^l     '.  '?.""""   "'""P""^-     Nevertheless,  the  Northwert 
Co„,pa„y  I,„,]  become  too  powerf.,1  to  dre«d  any  such  .livisions 

H-zx  t::^:  ■■" «"'-  -n  0.  the  oLositio;:rt';: 

Tins  last  company  took  advantage,  as  !t  still  -„„   „f  . 
cLarter  granted  by  Charles  11,  to  Ws  cons  n  rI:,;  ' -^'.i! 

powers  ami      "^T  ""'"'""'•     ^'  ^^""'^   «'«  ">»««  «l>«'l>.te 
powers  and  concedes  a  sovereignty  more  despotic  than  Charles 

Inmself  possessed.     Thongh  the  governmental  department  1 

riTo"  f,  "^"""'  """'"•^"''  "p"» "-  -Meet  0 1.:';: 

ga    y  of  tins  contract,  yet  the  friends  of  this  company  hav^ 

e^go  a  d,8cu.ss,o,,  m  court.     Thus,  those  who  are  opposed  to 
1.0  pretensions  of  this  company,  „„t  having  enough  of  money 

pro™tr   t       ''"""•  '""""'  "'"*  «""»''   favor  TouU 
prove  the  stronger  argument,  find  themselves  obliged  to  sub- 
.  ""'  "  =*  ''^-'-Pafon  which  they  can  not  prevent, 
bv  ueMH        7-  'r^^'"'f  "f  '^'^'0  abuses  a  tew  years  ago 

ofcfsioned  a         1  T'.      ^  "'*""''  "'  '"'"''"■•  ""'^  -'"'' 
occasioned  a  good  deal  of  excitement  in  England  the  onlv 

effect  produced  i>ere,  was  to  abate  in  a  small  deg  ee  the  bold^ 

ness  of  the  pretensions  of  this  company,  whic.  tended  to  t 

cnects  of  a  hunter,  upon  suspicion  that  he  might  exchin-.e 
me  of  them  with  the  Indians  for  furs.  On  another  octlf: 
tlcy  caused  a  hunter  to  be  imprisoned  for  having  given  „,e 
of  Is  overcoats  to  a  n.aked  Indian,  for  about  its  v^ake  n  r  t! 
skms      I  hey  also  refuse  to  allow  the  missionaries  to  receive 

L  err;  iir'"'"' "'  p-'*-"  --■"•"  -^■^>' "-  i-- 

c  ans  can  no    obtain  any  money  from  the  company  for  tlieir 

furs;  and  forbid  the  missionmies  to  bu-  i—.-  -    ''^    .  • 

protect  iheir  feet  from  the  cold     T1.       '  T  7  "  '" 

cci  irom  me  cold.    These,  and  a  thousand  other 


II 


i 


APPENDIX. 

piovm.ce»  cll  «,  lo.ully  f,,,.  ,.(.,I,e«»,  ||„„   I   t|,i„u  ,  ,,„^i, 

«»  ns  l„gl,  „,,  „,  Slave  lake,  wl.c-o  they  suat.ai.icd  a  ,„„^ 
pe™,s  c„„,,„erce.  Tl,i,  „„cee«s  only  i„(Ia„,e,l  still  more  the 
jen  o„„y  „f  the  ir.„l»„„  n„y  c,„n|.nny.  Kvco.lm,«  tW 
ec«.  .1  be  ,„,„gi„ed  t„  ,li,co„r„ge  th'h-  ih-.r..u-;L  „.   hi,    e 

l.c.r  i„o,pcnty,  wa,  vesoHcd  to  without  scn,,,lo,  or  the  lei!t 
regm-.l   to  h„,„a„  life.     They  we„t  »„  far  a,   „  i„n,  „„    he 

«..k  canoes  au.l  destroy  their  traps  which  were  in  the  wa  er 
tl.o  sole  means  „f  subsistence  in  many  places. 

ii.o  hostilities  which  existed  hctweeu  the  two  companies 

.  t.f  the  colony  o  Lord  Selkirk,  that  is,  fron,  18la  to  1816. 
in  1815,  eatables  beuig  very  scarce  in  the  establishment,  the 
governor  of  the  colony  issued  an  order,  forbidding  any  o,  e   o 

ake  any  provt.ons  whatever  of  food  out  of  the  boumlary  of 
fl,e  colony.  Now  ,t  was  well  known  that  the  company  of  the 
^orthwe.t,  onght  to  try  to  send  provisions  through  this 
colony,  f„r  the  numerous  travellers  who  were  con.i,^  f   „ 

e  t  jHo i"",   ^''"'^"'^'"^  "P™  "■«-  »ecor,  to  enabl!  them 
e.t  e,  to  cor.tnme  their  rente  or  return  to  Canada.     The  agents 
of  tins  eon,pany  having  been  informed  in  time,  of  the  ordfr  of 
tl  e  governor  of  the  colony  through  which  they  had  to  pass 
when   t  ey   were    descending    the   river    Assi niboin.   ha     d 

^l^Z  :f ',""  '""'"^  "'  "■«  ~'""^'-  "■"1  ->"  » 

cont™   of  rutl  1     r^'''  ""'"^r'^  "^  ''alf-Lreeds,  under  the 

eomol  of  Cuthbcrt  Grant,  at  that  time  clerk  of  this  company, 

.th  orders  to  go  by  land  to  the  mouth  of  Ked  river,  in  orde 

e  ery  day      1  bough    hey  made  a  large  circuit  in  compassing 

pany  <,   half-breeds  were  recognised  from  the  fort  of  the  colonv 
w  en    hey  reached  the  month  of  the  river  Assinibo  , .     i^! 
mediately  upon  seeing  them,  Governor  Semple  ordered  o"t 

et  Cirtl     '^""1","  T'  r"  '"  ^'■''"'  '"'^""»  '-- W    t  e 
settleis  in  the  neigbborliood,  and  wi'tlnmt  woU,v^  ^„-.  .i  . ...  , 


PRTNCE    RUPERt'b   LAND. 


341 


come  together,  took  tlie  field  witli  sucli  persons  as  he  could 
collect  Mt  the  moment.  The  halt-brcetls,  who  saw  from  a  dis- 
tance these  nK)vement8  near  the  fort,  stopped  to  make  obser- 
vations. At  last  seeing  an  armed  force  coming  out  against 
them,  they  prepared  to  make  a  vigorous  resistunce,  with  orders, 
nevertheless,  not  to  make  an  attack.  When  the  English  came 
within  gun-shot,  Mr.  Grant  sent  a  cavalier  in  advance,  to  make 
some  arrangement  with  the  governor ;  but  the  messenger,  far 
from  being  listened  to,  received  a  discharge  from  a  gun,  which 
he  avoided  only  by  precipitating  himself  from  his  horse.  He 
then  hastened  back  to  his  companions.  A  combat  immediately 
conmienced,  which  lasted  only  a  few  hours,  and  was  so  well- 
conducted  on  the  part  of  the  half-breeds,  that  it  cost  them  only 
one  man  ;  while  on  the  part  of  the  English,  the  governor  and 
nineteen  of  his  men  lay  on  the  field  of  battle. 

This  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1816,  at  the  time  that  Lord 
Selkii-k,  who  had  come  to  reside  in  Canada,  was  on  his  way 
to  visit  his  colony.  He  was  encamped  at  the  extremity  of 
Lake  Superior,  on  an  isle  called  "  Ih  de  Traverse  "  opposite, 
though  at  a  distance  from  Fort  William,  the  principal  dep6t  of 
the  Northwestern  Company,  when  he  learned  the  news  of 
what  had  taken  place  at  Red  river,  and  the  death  of  his 
protege,  Governor  Semple.  As  he  was  escorted  by  a  company 
of  v(iterans,  he  re-embarked  with  the  intention  of  taking  Fort 
William,  which  he  effected  without  a  blow;  for  as  his  ap- 
proach was  unsuspected,  he  found  the  gates  open.  He  thus 
took  possession  of  this  post  and  passed  the  winter  there. 

The  next  spring,  he  visited  his  colony,  where  he  left  some 
soldiers,  and  returned  to  Canada  by  way  of  the  United  States. 
After  his  arrival  at  Montreal,  he  insLituted  a  suit  against  the 
Northwestern  Company,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  bar, 
both  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  who  were  the  only  persons 
benefited  by  it ;  for  the  case  was  removed  to  England,  where 
it  was  never  judged,  after  having  cost  enormous  sums. 

During  his  sojourn  at  Red  River,  Lord  Selkirk  had  remarked 
that  this  little  community  were  altogether  destitute  of  the 
principles  of  religion  and  morals;  accordino-]y,  he  gnn.jroqtod 
to  the  catholics  of  the  place  that  they  should  address  a.  petition 


84g 


APPENDIX. 


4 


■ 


tlien  vicar  of  Ouobec      Tin  v.-..         •      ,1'  ^-  '^^  ■'^-  l->umoulii), 

J'«r.  th.y  re«el,o        «  „ W    f  ,?'""f  """"•^"'  "-  1»"'  "f 

At  tl,cir  nrrival  ,1  o  co  m,„  ,      '^•'«"'""™  J«Iy  IC.l.. 

«:•  p.oc„re  aeed  f„..  L  f.,n„w  f,;'  "'^  '.!;:■  »•"'  "'»'  «"'r 
tive  years,  tlie  (rras«Iionr.er»  .„„?  I'  ,  '''^"""g  '»''>  coiisccii- 
crops,  that  tlK/di<       ?C;;„'     ""'  '"•""""'■""  »"'""?  "•« 

about  ,  thousand  n,  1  Lt  „t  Ti;;"  '/"  .*"'"™'PP'  "™■•• 
fio.n  tl,„t  j,l«cc,  «.I,ieI,  „  ,S.,  ^  "  '"■"'«'"  -^''^'kena 
1882  was  passable,  (^  "1  '1  ""?'  "'"'"^-  '^''"^  ""P  "' 
tl.ey  l,ad  .ILt  yet  ,  J  u  d  ca^ Zeo  'T  ''"*™'"™-  ^» 
these  veimiu.  '  "'^  ""'""•>'  *««  "'fested  by 

co.tetllr'lti^t,/'"':,  ''"T  '^  "■"  «-'«" 
'ling  years,  they  we7e  „bl  '  d  to  ^  '™"'''''  "^  "'«  P'"'^''- 
Chien.  Some  LlMd.n  sflr/r""'  """"  ^""^  ^'"-"^  <>« 
some  co,vs.     At  that  1 1  »  'T'       f""'  "^  "«".  ""'1 

cows  to  that  place.     The  e„ws  tl  I       /'    T^""^  '^^'^  "'"J 
each.     Thei.  number  las  Zl  .  '    ■ ,      "^^  ^""^  '"  '«"  P<'>"><'» 

I"  1826,  the  »ow V      th    ISth  rfO?,"^  ■""''^^''• 
and  remained  „„  the  ground      S  ill  m       /n'T"'  ''"'"'"'y' 
ter.  which  wasoneoft1,ecohiesfwIi„r;%       ''"f  ^  '""  ^'''■ 
five  years.     The  snow  mX^    j       ,        "^  1"'''<"^  '''"•  ""enty- 

Thelater  had  Za^i;  l'  t  tre^"'""'  *'"  '"^"'^^P'"- 
bnnks,  when  the  ice,  which  ha,  .  TT  "'  ""'eh  as  the 
ness,  was  dragged  away  bv  tl  1  T^  ''""'■'i^hed  in  thick- 
tnkingastraigMcourTe  roote]  T"'""™  "^  ">"  current,  and 
and  whatevef  found  u/e;''  I  i:::  ""i,?-""^'-"  ^O'^ces 
feet  in  the  ehnrch  of  St    Bonif.,.!         '>  '™""'  ''°'''  *™ 

of  the  river  Assiniboh     wh    h  i^'  o^IVT''"'  ''"'  ■""""' 
spots  in  that  viciuitv  "^  "'^  ""^  "">«'  elevated 


Ill 


PRINCE   KUI'iatr's    LAND. 


843 


Tlio  fisli,  the  principal 


rosoiirco  of  the  inhabitants  at  this 
season  of  tlio  ^  ear,  wore  (liMpersed  in  tliis  immense  extent  of 
M-ater,  and  tlio  fiHliermen  were  not  able  to  take  tliem.  To 
crown  their  nnsfortunes,  the  bison  that  were  ordinarily  found 
in  abundance  near  the  river  rembina,  wont  away,  anil  nUmt 
fifteen  persons  who  had  calculated  on  this  resource,  periHhed 
from  hunger.  The  waters  did  not  retire  entirely  till  the  20tli 
of  July  ;  when  some  persons  risked  sowing  bailey,  which  came 
to  maturity. 

After  so  many  scourges  of  different  kinds,  one  would  think 
that  the  survivors  would  have  been  ready  to  abandon  for  ever  a 
country  which  offered  only  disasters  and  difficulties.  Some  of 
them  did  indeed  leave,  and  go  to  the  United  States ;  others 
lived,  like  the  savages,  by  hunting  and  fishing,  for  several 
years,  after  which  they  returned  to  the  culture  of  the  earth : 
at  last,  having  had  good  crops  during  several  years,  the 
remembrance  of  their  misfortunes  was  effaced.  The  same 
scourge  has  not  visited  the  place  in  a  general  manner  till  last 
year,  1852.  The  water  rose  a  foot  higher  than  in  1826,  and 
the  losses  occasioned  by  it  are  still  greater,  and  more  difficult 
to  repair.  A  greater  quantity  of  fencing,  grain,  and  property 
of  all  kinds,  has  been  carried  away  and  destroyed  by  the 
water  ;  then  the  lumber  being  all  destroyed  or  carried  away  to 
some  distance  from  the  colony,  the  expenses  of  building  are 
much  more  considerable.  We,  at  St.  Joseph  of  Pembina, 
are  beyond  the  reach  of  these  misfortunes. 

We  have  seen  that  the  visit  of  Lord  Selkirk  to  Red  River, 
occasioned  missionaries  to  be  sent  to  that  colony.  The  pro- 
cess which  he  instituted  against  the  Northwestern  Company, 
though  never  judged,  was  also  productive  of  some  favorable 
results.  The  great  expense  of  sustaining  this  process,  joined 
to  those  occasioned  by  the  constant  opposition  of  a  rival  inter- 
est, and  still  more,  weariness  of  a  life  of  incessant  contentions, 
induced  these  two  companies  to  unite,  under  the  name  and 
privileges  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company.  Some  of  the  members 
of  the  Northwestern  Company,  not  willing  to  be  known  under 
a  title  w^hieh  they  Lad  despised,  preferred  to  retire  from  the 
commerce. 


(• 


844 


APPrXDiX. 


it  J" 

PS  T' 
f 

•If 
,  ■•>.  ti 


The  union   of  t]i»>«o   f«,^ 

Since  tl,atped„4  U^lrors  rfX'""  ""■'  ,''''"''   '"  l^^^" 
great ;  b„t,  on  tl,o  othe.   "a„  1  fl  T^'T  ■■""■  ''<"'"  ^'^■•y 

offered  by  it  in  i„v    ^  X;      .'"it  °'."'%^-«'y  1-™ 

«3  that  of  merebandiseVven   b   exJ^™'""""'"'"^" 
entirely  by  the  company      Til  '"   '''°'""'g<''  ''•''^    regulated 

f".s.  and  took  fton,  the  t^de^-'  et"  "• ""',""''  "'"""^■'"^  '"^ 

stopping  when  he  was  told  he  h.f  ?"  T'"''''*^'  "'"l 

power  engendered  as  can  L  i-T  """S""'  ^^'^  "l-^'^I'ite 
'i'l.c  'radel.seei'tre  peopier  r  ~"''"^"''  '"''"^  «^-- 
and  gave  then,selU "u;;;"^  J^tr:,"™' ''"^'"''  '"™^-'- 
of  immorality.  At  last  ml! il?,  •  ^,  *"""'  *"  "^^''y  ««ss 
direction,  men  who  had  bin  -T,  *"'"«  ^'''"  »"*  i"  «very 
tl.eir  first  edncatin  a  reform  i;;™''"  """^'' '"  ^'=™™''- 
honesty  recovered  its  right:  """'""  "'''  *''«  '■"^-"^  and 

There  was  a  mission  formed  near  the  T?„  i 
above  the  river  Saskadjiwan,  on  the  li  M     ,  ,^  "■"""tains, 
It  was  established  in  1843  by  M    T  B  if'  "'^  ^«""»"- 

of  the  diocese  of  Quebec  who  I  ;..?'"  Thibault,  a  priest 
;;>  I;is  place.  Mr.lour::'sa  :  S  of'l"'  '''^.  «"  '^" 
Quebec.    An..thcr  mi«,i„„  „,,  .'        f  '"""  '^'"'=«»e  of 

Crosse,  by  Mr  S  Lafleri?  '  """  ^"'"""^  »'  "'e  isle  of  La 

Rivers,  a.fd  Mr.  Al^lt  e 'a^fw  ' /.^  *''f.  <"^*"<='  "(  Three 
They  both  received  a  mTs  i„u  IT         "  '\'"'''  '^  """'''^a'- 
tLemselves  in  1845.     S Ce  t^  '     r'  ^""'  "''"'•'^  "''^  '•'="'''''^'1 
society  of  Oblats,  of  MarseiMes  tvlT'  ''™™'  f™'''^  "^  "'« 
these  mountains.     Fatl,     I  1'    t'  ^""^  '""'  ""  «  '"i^^on  to 
than  any  of  the  others      irrr"""'"""^  '''"■'her  north 
Chapels'for  worsh??  h:;.  t^ectf  i,:??^'  ^'"^  ""=«■ 
missions.     Among  „1|  „,„,  „i„„!,,  '  ""'  "''  "'"«« 

of  St.  Boniface)  fs  built  osT,',  Tjf  T  ^""'  "^"■''■'™' 
edifices.  ^  '  ^^^  t^e  others  are  wooden 

The  parish   of  St.  Francis   Xavie-    of  P    •  •     .     r. 
Blanc,  about  eighteen  mJln«  f,    ^;7'^"  of  1  rairie  du  Oheval 
^^-•n- existed  a'   e~7r 

posed   to  inundation  of  ail  tl,!'  .        '  T  ''  *^'^  ^''''  «^- 
Pan-sli  is  composed   .f  J^^.  TZ^^^'^  ^-"*^T.     This 


igrants  from  Pcmh 


ma,  where  U 


lere 


pniNCE  RUPiair's  land. 


315 


m  1822. 
3en  very 
iry  have 
,  as  Avell 
sgulated 
5ited  his 
h  things 
ity,  and 
absolute 

abuses. 
iTogant, 

excess 
1  every 
nember 
lit,  and 

ntains, 
anitou. 
''  priest 
le  left 
ese  of 
of  La 
Three 
itreal. 
dered 
'f  the 
on  to 
north 
lake, 
these 
3d  ml 
3den 

eval 
isin- 
ex- 
t^his 
I  ere 


were  several  commercial  houses,  and  quite  a  number  of  farmers. 
But  when  Major  Long,  of  the  United  States,  had  verified  the 
point  of  the  forth-ninth  degree  of  latitude,  Pembina  proving 
to  be  on  the  American  territory,  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
caused  the  whole  population  to  remove  to  their  side,  by  mena- 
cing them  with  a  refusal  to  let  them  have  any  supplies  from 
their  stores  if  they  remained.  Their  missionary,  Mr.  Dumon- 
lin,  being  returned  to  Canada,  the  whole  colony  finished  by 
emigrating,  though  very  reluctantly,  to  Prairie  du  Cheval 
Blanc. 

Twelve  miles  higher  up  on  the  Assiniboin,  I  built  a  chapel 
among  the  Sauteux,  where  I  had  a  very  flourishing  mission 
from  1832  till  1848,  when  I  quitted  this  diocese  to  go  to  Pem- 
bina. Dnring  this  time,  built  another  chapel,  and  founded 
a  farm,  about  three  hundred  miles  from  the  colony  toward  the 
east,  at  a  point  called  Wabassimong,  on  the  river  Winipik. 
This  mission  was  committed  to  the  Oblats  of  Marseilles  the 
year  before  I  left  it.  At  last  being  arrived  at  Pembina,, in 
1849,  I  constructed  a  chapel  on  Red  river,  a  mile  below  the 
mouth  of  Pembina  river,  on  the  most  advantageous  site  we 
could  select.  The  inundations  having  decided  us  to  establish 
ourselves  near  to  Mount  Pembina,  about  forty  miles  from  Red 
river,  I  built  another  chapel  of  wood,  fifty  feet  by  twenty -five, 
two  stories  high. 

The  total  population  of  the  colony  of  Selkirk  is  about  seven 
thousand  souls,  of  which  little  more  than  one  half  are  cath- 
olics ;  the  others  are  divided  between  the  church  of  England, 
Presbyterians,  and  methodists.  There  is  on  Red  river  but  one 
society  of  nuns  not  cloistered.  These  came  from  Canada, 
and  are  of  the  order  of  the  sisters  of  charity  called  "  grey 
mxna"  {soeurs  grises).  Though  instruction  was  not  the  object 
of  their  institution,  they  have  been  invited  to  this  calling,  and 
have  fulfilled  its  important  functions  with  success  since  their 
arrival  in  1844. 

15* 


I 


I 


ii 


346 


APPEJfDIX. 


,,■*,' 


MANN.„S  OP  THE  INHABITANTS  OP  THE  COUNTRY. 

The   population   of  the   country   divides   itsnlf  i  f      ., 
classes,  viz. :  tliP  mlnnicf       i  "J^ines   jtseif   into    throe 

tl.e  l.a  f-b  eed     „  °    tw   ^  '",  f'""  ^"'"'  ^^"'^'^  "r  Europe  ; 

Lo.Hlo,,.  Th!hMC:Zl  '  "  """"■''  """""g  ■■"  like 
with  «..co„™„„  ,  eaw  t.ul"T  """T  — ■o-.a..d  endowed 
lords  of  tl,eT™d      T  '  :/'■'"!";•  ^^^"'«"'  "'omselves  the 

-.amy,  they  are  as  ,L  ^s  .Z^Z^^^^^  [" 
character  is  gentle  and  benevolenf  TI.J  '^  '^  ■"'*" 
r;o.lig«..-ty,  they  have  also  T  tU"  'n/el?:'  f«  " 
of  strong  drinks;  nevertheless,  the  vivacitv  of  1  f  t^ T 
ivronght  wonders  among  the-n  in  thU  v^  ^  /  "'/" '^»'"'  ••«» 
tl.e.n  have  taken  a  pl'lge  To  ab '  1  T  ,  f  »»»''«  "^ 
of  all  intoxicating  lionof     '/  ""toely  from  the  nse 

done   as    m«ch     sti  r,old    7    "'T  ""'"■''  **"«""  ''»""§ 

j".o„gh  the  haif-brisToit  ^^2.r^  r' "-"4 

tio  not  think  this  nx^^^^  ifo      •   •       "'/"^"  ""^e  m  idleness,  I 

-e;  eo  the'ier  :ra7!ire!  raittetlr^trL? 
-:a^"-trtt::::hCS.r"'-^^™ 

vice.     They  have  a  taste  L  !  .    7  ^''^'''  ^^^  *^'^« 

™..-n  .  an/  a  grrat".':,:  ^  oOl.rT™:   otX-S  '^^ 

;::;:ii:?;-:;:r;r'---ic:- 

them  what  thev  oul-I.f  fn  ,  •        t         ?  ^ '  '■^^'^'^"  ^^^^^^^s 
^  ciL  iney  ought  to  think  about  these  thinp-s  tl,^..  f    i 

invincibly  impressed  with  a  .spnfln,...  ^^  '  -     ^'•'       ^   ''^ 

i^„,  o*  uupu  or  lear,  accor- 


PRTNCE  Rupert's  land. 


347 


ding  to  the  nature  of  the  dream.  The  third  class  of  the 
population  of  the  country  are  the  savages,  who  have  a  still 
stronger  spirit  of  nationality  than  the  other  two,  though  they 
admit  that  they  are  not  so  skilful  in  other  respects.      • 

The  Immense  valley  that  empties  its  waters  into  Hudson's 
bay  is  inhabited  by  a  great  number  of  savage  tribes,  who  all 
spring  from  four  mother  nations,  absolutely  distinguished  from 
each  other  by  their  language. 

1.  All  the  people  who  border  on  the  northern  sea,  from 
Mackenzie's  river  to  the  Atlantic  ocean,  belong  to  the  trih  >  of 
tlie  Esquimaux.     All  speak  nearly  the  same  language,  have 
the  same  usages,  same  superstitions,  and  the  same  manners. 
Small  in  stature,  their  physiogomy  is  entirely  characteristic  ; 
and  offers  nothing  which  attaches  itself  i^p  the  other  American 
nations.     They  never  form  any  alliances  with  other  nations ; 
who  regard  them  as  being  as  far  inferior  to  them,  as  they 
themselves  are  inferior  to  the  whites.     The  name  of  the  Esqui- 
maux is  a  corruption  of  the  word  Weashkimek,  the  eaters  of 
raw  fish;  this  word  is  Sauteux.     They  have,  like  the  other 
savage  nations,  the  use  of  the  drum.     Their  habitations  are 
usually  made  of  snow  or  ice,  and  are  warmer  than  one  would 
be  tempted  to  belie /e;   hut  they  have  a  humidity  which  is 
insupportable  to  any  person  not  born  in  them.     As  they  drink 
whale  oil  with  great  delight,  they  expose  themselves  to  great 
dangers  to  catch  this  animal;  which  proves  that  they  are  not 
destitute  of  bravery.     Without  occupying  themselves  with  the 
reflection  that  the  fisherman  and  his  canoe  would  make  only 
a  mouthful  for  one  of  these  marine  monsters,  over  whom  they 
often  pass  in  the  chase  of  the  whale— nor  that  with  one  blow 
of  his  tail,  the  whale  himself,  could  throw  them  to  the  third 
heaven,  like  to  the  feeble  bird,  which  strikes  with  its  bill  the 
crow  who  comes  to  deprive  it  of  its  young— they  throw  their 
slight  darts  at  the  back  of  the  enormous  fish,  till  they  have 
rendered  themselves  masters  of  it.     As  no  missionary  has  ever 
lived  among  this  people,  it  is  impossible  to  form  any  just  esti- 
mate of  their  mental  capacities. 

sa.   .  ijii  ^;i  xtivriiiagixcD,  ttiiu  iiru  uiv'.uuu  luio  severai 

different  tribes,  are  the  neighbors  of  the  Esquimaux,  and  in- 


348 


ArpENDTX. 


I, 

ft  M" 


,"  (5* 


^J% 


Hifli^ 


TlMs  natural  dispos kiln  i      ,  f  *"""  "^  """=''  "«  ""'y  eon. 
p.-oj„.l;ce,  has  Z     to  r"^        the  absence  of  all  relics 

over,  adva„ta/e2;:„     I  IZrZl'""'  ""  ""'  "'"■^• 
Christians,  excentin/  ,  „    .  •  ■       "^  *'"  "»«'  "ea'Iy  all 

bonds  of  poT/gamy'wLTh  r  "7.'","'  '""'""'^  '^•-"  "- 
»till  at  a  dltr,fce^'  "^  *'"''  ''"^"""  *"  l"'^«k.  bold 

cap.  which  S  ,ei.:Tear^  *"7"'''^''-''''^^''-  'be 
or  sack  which  ey  w  a  whlh  TT  ""'  """'  '"  =>  ^■°»'' 
tbem  appear  po  „M  at  tl,o  to  a^^-  '""""'  "^  ''''''  "'"^^^ 
Saut.„i  language  Thev  I  '^^  T  "  *°''''  '"  •'^">  "^  'be 
eorne  hy  ha„fr„Tthe  1  ^  '"  ^  *"'"""«  "'«  <=''"boo,  and 
tbeir  lai  11  "iCs?  '"",""""'  ^^l"  -">  »bich  ail 
tbantheEsqniZl  ^"^'^  "'  ""'  '™"'''«' -  ""ore 

3.  The  Crees  who  inhabit  the  two  side,  of  fl,„    •       o    , 
Jiwan,  and  with  whom  w.    ,      , ,   f .    '"'^'be  nver  Sasfead- 
who  belong  to  thl   ame  f      r^  J,"'"  ■■•"  "'"  Mashkegons, 
country  whllrbrderther^of'^^^^''"  ^'f"''  "'  ^>"be 

ana  east,  in  a  word.  ^1  tW^ml!;'::;"  ""^^r"'  ^°r'" 
nation  of  these  two  numernno  *  -i  ''ountiy.     Ihe  motlier 

tbe  Santenx.  which  extend?  n  '"T  '"  ^'  "'^  ■">"»  "^ 
jiwan.  wher;  they  a  e  :i«?;?t,fr  p"  '"  ""  ?"''  ^^^l^"^- 
".  'ler  the  name  of   C/  "  '^™''''  ""''  «■«'  k"own 

.•aces.     The  torf  "(f  .^^''^•^■«-""--«'«*-the  n,en  of  divers 

word  m.i^z'3z::^  i:\i  *™t'-r^  «■"  --«« 

tbe  inhabitants  of  thZ    ,  T     "  '*'""''-     ^''a'  ''"  'o  say, 

tbe,n  f.-on:::::.  i  grf^'::;,.:: "'::  "■«  ^%'"-'  --^  ^-,^3 

"■■iginally  inhabited  ««!r       .1        '''"'"'''  """  "'"  Crecs 
Superior;    pe.tps    lo   c  T  ^'"''  ^''^''-  ^"'''  ''  ^"^^ 

Woods,  ^hfcl    one  ean       *  ''""'''"'  "^  "'«  '"k^  °f  tbe 

very  c^hn.  :'a  :hi:,:VI^~^"?f.'  r.'-  the  weather  is 

" -^  -'--''*^"">  innaoitod  at  one  time. 


PRINCE  Rupert's  land.  349 

^  Tbe  Avoid  Mashkegon  is  a  corruption  of  Omashkekok— tlio 
inhabitants  of  the  marshes.  T]ie  only  way  of  travelling  i„  all 
the  imn.ense  region  >vhich  they  inhabit,  i«  in  canoes.  I  have 
met  old  men,  in  travelling  through  their  country,  who  had 
never  seen  a  horse. 

The  word  Sauteux,  which  seems  to  have  been  given  to  this 
nation  from  their  having  a  long  time  inhabited  the  Sault  Ste. 
Mane,  is  not  a  translation  of  the  savage  name  Odjibwek. 
Ihis  word  has  been  the  object  of  a  great  many  suppositions: 
some  say  it  was  given  to  this  nation  on  account  of  the  form  of 
their  plaited  shoes -^..•^..a,  plaited  ;  but  this  interpretation  is 
not  admissible,  for  the  word  does  not  contain  the  least  allusion 
to  shoes.  ^  Others  say  that  it  comes  from  the  form  the  mouth 
assumes   in   pronouncing   certain    words,   wishing   always    to 
hold   on  to  the  adjective  teihwa ;    this  is  not  more  satisfac 
tory.     It  IS  not  uncommon  that  a  word  is  somewhat  changed 
when  applied  to  a  man  or  a  nation.     I  could  give  a  number  of 
examples  of  this.     I  would  venture  then  to  say  that  the  word 
0<ljibwek  comes  from  Shibwe ;  in  order  to  make  a  proper  noun 
UslHbwek,  m  the  plural  the  pronouncing  slowly  of  ^/^A— root 
to  draw  out ;    that  is  to  say,  to  lengthen  out  a  word  by  the 
sloNv  pronunciation  of  its  syllables;  the  particle  we  signifying 
articulate,  pronounce  ;  the  k  is  an  animated  plural,  which  here 
c«n  only  be  applied  to  men.     In  truth,  the  pronunciation  of 
t^.e  feauteux  characterizes  them  in  an  eminent  manner.     The 
Ottawas,  tlie  Nipising,  the  Algonquins,  the  Tetes  de  Bmle,  the 
Montagues  of  Canada,  are  so  many  tribes  which  belong  to  the 
same  family.     We  must  not  confound  the  Montagues  of  Cana- 
da with  those  of  the  north,  who   have  nothing  in  common 
except  the  name.     The  Sauteux  and  the  Crees  have  always 
been  intimately  united  j  and  they  have  the  same  usages  and 
the  same  superstitions,  to  which  they  are  extremely  attached. 
Their  principal  religious  meeting  takes  place  every  spring 
about  the  time  when  all  the  plants  begin  to  awaken  from  their 
long  winter  sleep  and  renew  their  life,  and  commence  to  bud. 
The  tidcet^of  invitation  is  a  piece  of  tobacco  sent  by  the  oldest 
person  of  the  nation,  indicating  the  place  of  rendezvous  to  the 
principal  persons  of  the  tribe.     This  is  a  national  feast,  in 


I 


350 


APPENDIX. 


Lit: 

'.  Ill 
i<  .) 
1  Hi 


1  !i; 
I.  •! 

i 


Wm' 


Avhicli  oncli  individual  is  interested,  being  the  feast  of  medi- 
dines.  Each  head  of  a  family  is  the  physician  of  his  chihlren 
but  he  can  not  become  so  without  having  a  preliminary  instruc' 
tion  and  initiation  into  the  secrets  of  medicine.  It  is  at  this 
feast  that  each  one  is  received.  All  the  ceremonies  which 
they  perform  are  emblematic,  and  signify  the  virtue  of  plants 
m  the  cure  of  the  various  maladies  of  man. 

Another  superstition,  proper  to  cure  the  evils  which  have 
place  more  in  the  imagination  than  in  the  body,  is  the  Nipik- 
kiwan.  It  consists  in  drawing  out  the  evil  directly,  in  drnwing 
the  breath,  and  spitting  in  the  eyes  of  the  sick  person.  The 
pretended  cause  of  the  suffering  is  sometimes  a  stone,  a  fruit, 
the  point  of  an  arrow,  or  even  a  medicine,  wrapped  up  in  cot- 
ton.  One  can  not  conceive  how  much  these  poor  people  sub- 
mit  with  blind  faith  to  these  absurdities.  ^  ^ 

Lastly,  curiosity,  and  the  desire  of  knowing  the  future  has 
invented  the  Teisakkiwin.  It  consists  of  certain  formlmies 
songs,  invocations  of  spirits,  and  bodily  agitations,  which  are 
so  energetic,  that  you  are  carried  back  to  the  time  of  the  an- 
cient sybils;  they  seem  to  say  to  you,  Deus  ecce  Dcus,  and 
hen  submitting  to  the  questions  of  the  spectators,  for  whom 
they  always  have  a  reply,  whether  it  be  to  tell  what  passes  at 
a  distance  or  reveal  tlie  place  where  objects  which  have  been 

eplymg  m  ambiguous  terms  upon  all  subjects'of  which  he  has 

ZLoTl  '"  ?r'""  ^"^^^-^*--  -  advance,  he  is  always 

suie  of  success,  either  more  or  less  striking.     Besides  as  one 
IS  ordinarily  predisposed  to  the  marvellous,  anything  that  aid 
an  imposture  is  easily  overlooked.  ^ 

I  knew  a  man  who  was  in  great  trouble  on  account  of  his 
horses,  which  he  could  not  find  just  at  the  moment  when  a 
the  hunters  were  about  to  go  upon  an  expedition.     Seeing  he 
could  not  accompany  them  without  his  horses,  he  used  every 
effort  to  find  them.     At  last  an  old  Sauteux  came  to  him  ai^d 
proposed  If  he  would  give  him  a  net  (a  i.et  used  to  catcrfil 
he  would  go  immediately  and  invoke  Ids  manitousT  and  he 
was  very  sure  they  would  give  him  the  desired  inf;rmation 

As  one  can  readilv  Bunnn«A  fh-  -«•->-  v —  "lormation. 

^      ^^_„„,  .,j^  „„^^  v..«  jiccepteaj  and  after 


PRINCE  Rupert's  i-and. 


351 


saw  the  number 


tlie  ordinary  formalities,  the  juggler  said 

of  the  liorsea,  and  described  tliem  otherAvise  faithfully,  naming 
also  exactly  the  place  where  they  could  be  found.  They  were 
in  effect  found  in  the  place  he  had  indicated.  Now  this  old 
man  had  himself  hid  the  horses,  in  order  to  obtain  from  the 
owner,  the  net  which  he  knew  he  possessed ;  and  which  he 
himself  needed.  I  could  cite  many  other  instances  of  the  same 
kind. 

Dreams  are  for  the  Sauteux  revelations ;  and  the  bird,  the 
animal,  or  even  a  stone,  or  whatever  it  may  be  which  is  the 
principal  subject  of  the  dream,  becomes  a  tutelary  spirit,  for 
Avhich  the  dreamer  has  a  particular  veneration.  As  dreams 
are  more  apt  to  visit  a  sick  person,  when  the  brain  is  more 
subject  to  these  aberrations,  many  such  have  a  number  of 
dreams,  and  consequently  many  tutelary  spirits.  They  pre- 
serve images,  and  statues  in  their  medicine-bag,  and  never 
lose  sight  of  them ;  but  carry  them  about  wherever  they  go. 
The  faith  of  the  Sauteux  in  their  medicine  is  such,  that  they 
believe  a  disease  can  be  thrown  into  an  absent  person,  or  that 
certain  medicines  can  master  the  mental  inclinations,  such  as 
love  or  hatred.  Thus  it  is  the  interest  of  these  old  men  to 
pander  to  the  young.  It  can  not  be  denied  that  the  Sauteux 
have  some  knowledge  of  medicine.  And  I  have  myself  wit- 
nessed several  cures,  which  did  honor  to  their  physician.  I 
have,  above  all,  followed  with  great  interest  the  progress  of  a 
cure  which  an  English  doctor  had  pronounced  incurable, 
nevertheless  the  Sauteux  doctor  pronounced  its  cure  very 
ea&y ;  which  indeed  he  effected  in  a  very  short  time.  The 
disease  was  erysipelas,  degenerated  into  oilcers. 

The  Sauteux  language  is  much  richer  than  is  commonly 
thought.  It  bears  a  great  resemblance  to  the  ancient  lan- 
guages. It  has,  like  the  Greek,  the  dual  and  the  two  futures. 
And,  like  that  language,  it  has  but  few'  radical  words,  but 
their  manner  of  forming  words  for  the  occasion  by  the  aid 
of  these  radicals,  gives  a  great  facility  of  expression,  the  seme 
as  in  the  Greek.     The  conjunction  "  and,"  either  by  hazard  or 

otherwise,  is   the  same  as  in  the  Grpp.k.     Tin's  lancynnrro  ;« 

-    -    — ^.,.,^...  ,„ 

formed  of  radical  and  compound  words.    The  radical  words 


I 


353 


ni 


APPENDIX. 


e  commonly  emplojd  in  the  familiar  style ;  b„t  m  oratorical 
ftyle,  tlie  con.po,,,,,!  ,vor,l»  are  usod.      A»  for  example,  islr. 


le  mountain  is  liigh 


nuuljn,,m  impound   style  is   /.v;.y.«/^,«,  tl_.. „...  ,«.„„„. 

«^...i^W.vA,  ..y.,,  tl.o   river  is   largo,  in   the  compound  style  is 

^na.^>U.^^-ya,  &c      Tins  makes  the  learning  of  the  language 

nther  difhcult   at  first,  nearly  equal  to  the  acquiring  of  two 

languages;    but  in  return  for   this,  one  acquires  an  extreme 

fHc.l.ty  m  expressing  his  thoughts  with  all  the  force  he  desires. 

i  he  Sauteux  have  also  their  poetic  style,  which  consists 

more   ,n  suspension  and  enigmatical  phrases  than  in  words. 

Iheu'  scnigs  contain    only  a  f,w  words.  ^  :t.h  a  groat  many 

not^es.      Ihe.r  music  is  very  strange,  and   consists  more   in 

guttura     smuwls   than   in  modulations.      Their  intervals  are 

generally  de  Uerce  en  tierce,   accompanied    by  a  great  many 

unisons.     1  hey  have  songs  of  war,  of  love,  and  of  worship. 

1  he,r  writings  are  composed  of  arbitrary  hieroglyphics  and 
the  best  writer  is  he,  who  is  most  skilful  in  using  such  signs  as 
most  fully  represent  his  thoughts.     Though  this  manner  of 
writing  IS  very  defective,  it  is  nevertheless  ingenious  and  very 
useful,  and  has  this  advantage  over  all  other  languages,  since 
It  paint  the  thoughts,  and  not  the  words.     For  it  remai  is  for 
genius  to  discover  the  means  of  writing  the  thought,  and  not 
tlie  word;  just  as  figures  represent  numbers  in  all  languages, 
liiou^^h  the  Sauteux  have  no  idea  of  the  state  they  sliall  find 
themselves  in  after  death,  they  believe  in  the  existence  of  a 
tutuie  life.     They  have  very  strange  ideas  on  this  subject  • 
m  consequence  of  some  of  these,  they  place  near  the  deceased 
Ins  arms  a,nd  the  articles  most  necessary  to  life.     Some  have 
even  gone  so  far  as  .to  hav^e  their  best  horse  killed  at  their 
death,  in  order,  as  they  said,  to  use  him  in  travelling  to  the 
country  of  tl.e  dead.     It  is  the  general  belief  that  the  spirit 
returns  to  vi.it  the  grave  of  the  deceased  very  often,  so  long 
as  the  body  is  not  reduced  to  dust.     During  this  space  of  time 
It  is  held  a  sacred  duty,  on  the  part  of  the  relatives  of  the 
deceased,  to  make  sacrifices  and  offerings,  and  celebrate  fes- 
tivals before  the  door  of  the  tomb.     In  the  time  of  fruits,  they 
carry  ^them  in    great  abundance  to   the   tomb,  aud  he  who 
nourishes  himself  with  them  after  they  have  been  deposited 


(■"  (■ 


PRINCE    RUPEKtV    TAND. 


or  9 

oi)0 


there,  onuses  groat  joy  to  tl.e  parents  and  relations  of  tl.e 
docense.l.  AlllM.ugli  I  liave  seen  an  old  man  who  believed  in 
metempsychosis,  it  is  not  a  belief  of  the  nation  ;  he  probably 
received  this  thought  elsewjiere. 

The  Sauteux  have  also  some  knoM-ledge  of  astronomy  ; 
they  have  names  for  the  most  remarkable  constellations;  they 
have  names,  also,  for  the  lunar  months  ;  but  their  calculations, 
as  can  be  conceived,  are  very  imperfect,  and  they  often  find 
themselves  in  great  embarrassment,  and  have  recourse  to  us 
to  solve  their  difficulties.  The  electric  fluid  manifested  in 
thunder,  the  rays  of  light  of  the  aurora  borealis,  are  in  their 
imagination  animated  beings  ;  the  thunders,  according  to  them, 
are  supernatural  beings  ;  and  the  rays  of  the  aurora  borealis 
are  the  dead  who  dance. 

Their  idea  of  the  creation  of  the  world  goes  no  farther  back 
than  the  deluge,  of  which  they  have  still  a  tradition,  the  nar- 
ration of  which  would  fill  volumes.  This  account  is  extremely 
amusing,  and  filled  with  wearisome  episodes.  Without  at- 
tempting to  narrate  the  whole  of  it  here,  I  will  tell  that  part 
which  relates  to  the  creation  :  -An  immortal  genius,  seeing 
the  water  which  covered  the  earth,  and  finding  nowhere  a 
resting-place  for  his  feet,  ordered  a  castor,  an  otter,  and  other 
amphibious  animals,  to  plunge  by  turns  into  the  water,  and 
bring  up  a  little  earth  to  the  surface.  They  were  all 
drowned.  The  rat,  however,  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
bottom,  and  took  some  earth  in  his  paws,  but  he  died  before 
he  got  back  ;  yet  his  body  rose  to  the  surface  of  the  water. 
The  genius,  Nenabojou,  seeing  that  he  had  found  earth, 
brought  him  to  life,  and  employed  him  to  continue  the  work! 
When  there  was  a  sufficient  quantity  of  earth,  he  made  a  man, 
whom  he  animated  with  his  breath."  This  genius  is  not  the 
Great  Spirit,  of  whom  they  never  speak  except  with  respect ; 
while  Nenabojou  is  considered  a  buffoon  of  no  gi-avity. 

This  account  contains  one  thing  very  important.  It  is  that 
in  speaking  of  the  creation  of  plants,  &c.,  it  speaks  of  their 
nutritive  properties  ;  and  thus  offers  a  resource  for  the  suste- 
nance of  life  in  times  of  scarcity  ;  showing  what  rnots,  plants, 
and  mosses,  can  to  a  certain  extent  preserve  life.     I'mprovi- 


854 


APPENDIX. 


I      'i 


dent  not  to  say  mor«  of  them,  like  all  savage  nations,  tTie 
b.yiteux  pass  rapidly  from  abundance  to  want. 

Thnre   grows  in  the  prairies  a  kind  of  turnip,  which   can 
appease  huyr     When  this  root  is  chopped  up,  dried,  and 
beaten,  the  Bauteux  make  a  soup  of  it,  which,  when  mixed 
with   a  little  meat,  becomes  very  nourishing;  and  thus,  the 
food  which  would  scarcely  have  sufficed  a  single  day,  is  n.ade 
to  last  several  days.     There  is  also  a  wild  onion .  of  which  they 
make  much  use.     The  p^r;^y  which  grows  in   the  woods,  is 
employed  as  pepper  In  their  repasts.     In  the  spring,  they  find 
a  kind  of  root,  the  shape  of  which  resembles  a  ligne,  vulgarly 
called  a  ral's  tail.     It  is  very  abundant,  of  a  good  flavor,  and 
very  nutritive.     Another  root,  named  asUihwah  -that  which 
18  eaten  raw— is  very  abundant,  and  contains  much  nutritive 
substance.     The  fibres  of  the  trees,  above  all  of  the  aspen 
are  used  by  them  in  time  of  scarcity;  also  a  kind  of  bush  or 
shrub  which  is  found  in  the  woods,  called /w«a/^//t. 

In  the  rocky  countries,  there  exists  a  kind  of  moss  very  well 
known  to  travellers,  of  whieJi  the  utility  has  been  appreciated 
m  more  than  one  adventurous  circumstance.     It  is  the  famous 
tnpe  de  roche.     This  moss  is  of  the  nature  of  the  mushroom 
As  there  are  some  mushrooms  whicli  are  real  poisons,  so  there 
IS  a  kind  of  tripe  de  roche  which,  far  from  nourishing,  produces 
death.     Ihat  which  is  green,  and  has  nmall,  round  leaves,  is 
tlie  most  nourishing,  and    nio.t  easily  digested.     With   ^his 
and  a  duck,  a  partridge,  or  a  fish,  one  can  make  a  succulent 
soup  sufhcient  to  nourish  several  men. 

The  Sauteux  have  a  great  passion  for  gaming.     They  pass 

whole  days  and  nights  in  play ;   staking  all  they  have,  even 

Iieir  guns  and   traps,  and   sometimes   their  horses.      It  hn^- 

happened  that,  having  nothing  more,  they  have  staked  even 

their  wives  upon  the  play. 

Their  love  of  intoxicating  liquors  is,  as  among  all  the 
other  savage  tribes,  invincible.  A  Sauteux,  who  was  convinced 
of  religion,  wished  to  become  a  Christian ;  but  he  could  not  be 
admitted  without  renouncing  indulgence  in  drunkenness  to 
excess.  He  compkined  bitterly,  that  the  Hudson  I^ay  Com- 
pany had  reduced  Lis  peoule  to  eucu  a  pitiable  state,  hj 


PRINCK   RUPKBt'b   LAND. 


365 


•ringing    rum  info  tl.e  country,  of  wl.ich  they  would  never 
liavc  tli..ugl,t  if  ihvy  lind  not  tasted  it.     Tl.e  Sauteux  are  one 
of  tl.e  most  ^varlike  of  nations.     From  time  immemorial,  tl.ey 
liavo  l.ad  tl.o    advantage  over  their  numerous  enemies,  and 
pushed  them  to  the  ..orth.     They  treat  the  van^  ished  wit! 
the  most  horrihle  harl.arity.     It  is  then  that  they  arr  cannibals 
hy  virtue ;  for  thougli  we  see   sometimes  among  them  caspg 
of  anthropophagy,  they  have  such  a  horror  of  it,  that  he  who 
has  committed   this  act  is  no  longer  sure  of  his  life.     They 
hold  It  a  sacred  duty  to  put  him  to  death  on  the  first  favorable 
occasion.     But  during  war  they  make  a  glory  of  cannibalism. 
iheTeast  of  victory  is  very  often  composed  of  human  fle«h. 
One  sees  a  trait  of  this  haiharity  in  the  names  they  give  to 
their  principal  enemies;    as,  for  instance,  the  Sioux,  whom 
th.y  call  WanaL     As  I  have  remarked  before,  it  is  not  rare 
tliat  they  add  to  or  retrench  a  little  their  proper  names,  wh'ch 
renders  their  interpretation  rather  difficult  for  strangers.     In 
the  word  I  have  mentioned,  Iman  is  put  for  ol?van,  which  sig- 
nifies a  piece  of  flesh  put  on  the  spit;  thus  the  word  a/m^apak, 
which  they  have  finished  by  calling  hvanak  or  pwanak,  signi- 
fying those  whom   one  roasts  on   a  spit.     In  their  great  war 
parties,  after  the  victory,  the  Sauteux  build  a  great  fire,  then 
plait  all  around  spits  laden  with  the  thighs,  heads,  and  hearts, 
&c.,  of  their  enemies,  after  which  they  return  home. 

4.  The  Sioux,  to  whom  wo  must  join  the  Assii  'loins,  in- 
habit a  portion  of  the  valle.  of  the  Hudson  bay,  viz. :  the 
iipper  part  of  the  Red  river,  and  the  river  Chayenne,  which 
is  tributary  to  it.  But  many  endeavors  have  been  made  to 
conclude  a  solid  peace  with  the  Sioux ;  and  though  each  time 
HS  been  with  the  appearance  of  success,  their  acts  of  treason 
have  .ways  destroyed  these  bright  hopes.  The  Sauteux 
complain  bitterly  of  their  want  of  faith. 

The  nation  of  the  Assinil  oins,  who  separated  themselves 
from  the  Sioux,  according  to  tradition,  on  account  of  family 
disputes,  took  its  name  from  the  rocks  of  the  lake  of  the  Woods, 
where  they  first  lived  after  their  separation.  Their  name 
comes  from  assin,  rock,  and  hwan,  Sioux  —  Siovx  of  the  Rmhs. 
it  18  impossibk   to  fix  i  e  d*te  of  this  separation;  for  at  the 


f 


8o0 


III' 


AVVKSmX. 


ninyul  of  tl.c  first  mls^iormrioH  to  Il.nlfion's  hay,  F.atl.cr  Ga- 
briel MnrcHt  in  JOni.  .rot.,  sp.aklng  of  the  AsninihoinH. 
vl.o,n  lie  c.ll.Hl  .l.v.v...y..,A,  that  tl.i«  tradition  was  regarded 
as  IxMiig  nlreadj-  vary  old.  ** 

Tli.,    AsHiniboi.is   aro    immorous,  a.id  from   tlioir  l.abit  of 
Imn^^  ,n  lArj^e  encampments,  are  formidable  to  their  enemies. 
Ih.s  tribe,  like  the  Hanteux  and  the  Cree«.  their  allies,  arc 
not  hostile  to  the  whites.     A  traveller  can  pass  through  this 
nation  with  n.ore  security  for  his  life  than  in  a  civilized  conn- 
t.y,  which  can  not  bo  said  of  the  Sioux.     One  can  not  travel 
^'I'ou    he  highlands  of  the  Missouri  and  Red  rivers,  without 
often  being  seized  with  horror  by  the  narrations  occasio.red  by 
the  view  of  places  and  scenes  of  a  crowd  of  acts  .)f  barbarity 
and  treason,  that  have  been  perpetrated  by  this  people,  of 
which  one  sees  in  history  but  an  example  from  time  to  time. 
It  IS  a  horrible  sight  to  see,  as  1  have  seen  in  difierent  plaros 
the  skeletons  of  human  beings,  confounded  in  a  heap  with  the' 
bones  of  savage  animals.     Without  these  immin(  ut  dangers, 
which  such  sights  recall  to  the  mind  of  the  traveller,  these 
prairies  would  appear  a  paradise.     Filled  with  game  of  all 
kinds,  they  offer  at  each  moment  a  new  point  of  view,  and  a 
variety  of  perspective   most  astonishing -lakes,  where   the 
herds  of  bison  come  to  slake  their  thirst,  and  where  the  inajes- 
tic  swan  and  the  wild  goose  repose  themselves  in  passing- 
the  limpid  streams,  where  the  beavers  expose  their  ingenious 
work  to  the  admiring  gaze  — petrifactions,  minen.l  waters  of 
.various  kinds,  flowers,  and  strange  plants,  all  unite  to  amuse 
and  interest  the  intelligent  traveller  in  search  of  the  useful 
and  the  agreeable. 

The  nature  of  the  territory  separated  from  that  of  the 
United  States  by  the  49th  degree  of  latitude,  is  such,  that  it 
seems  necessary  that  one  should  have  first  visited  the  country 
before  determining  the  line  and  making  a  choice.  With  the 
exception  of  a  straight  strip  of  land,  say  a  degree  parallef  to 
the  49th  degree  of  latitude,  all  the  rest  of  the  country  of  the 
bay  of  Hudson  is  filled  with  lakes,  marshes,  savannas,  and 
rocks.  Except  a  small  portion,  on  which  is  established  the 
colony  of  uclkirk,  there  is  not  a  spot  of  land  that  will  produce 


rurxc!:  uli-kui's  land. 


857 


tlicr  Gn- 
iiniboiiiK, 
rcgHrtled 

Imbit  of 
enemies. 
llicH,  aro 
ugh  til  is 
B<J  coun- 
)t  travel 

without 
oned  \)y 
ubaiity 
Dple,  of 
to  time. 

places, 
vitli  the 
I  augers, 
f,  these 
3  of  all 
,  and  a 
ire   the 

inajes- 
ising — 
jenious 
ters  of 

amuse 

useful 

of  the 
that  it 
GUI  1  try 
itli  the 
illel  to 
of  the 
s,  and 
id  the 
■oduce 


corn.  One  c»m.  hardly  in.ngine  the  sad  eventimlities  to  which 
the  people  of  thiM  c(>untry  are  subjected,  wlio  can  never  count 
on  the  reHOurces  of  agriculture,  being  «ix  hundred  miles  from 
any  point  where  they  can  obtain  supplies.  It  is  thus  that  the 
people  north  of  SaskHdJiwan  are  exposed  from  time  to  time,  to 
the  terrible  altern.'iti\  e  <.f  dying  of  hunger  or  of  eating  one 
another,  when  in  the  intervaj  that  the  fisheries  fail,  it  happens 
that  the  chase  fails  also. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  our  neighbors  of  the  colony  of  Sel- 
kirk view  with  envious  eyes  the  beautiful  territory  which  ex- 
tends south  of  the  forty-ninth  degree,  from  Rainy  lake  to  the 
Kocky  mountnins.  The  left  bank  of  ihe  river  of  Rainy  lake, 
for  the  space  of  about  eighty  miles,  is  covered  with  all  kinds 
of  wood,  of  which  the  extreme  height  ;  -dicates  the  fertility 
of  the  soil.  The  country  which  belongs  to  the  United  States, 
IS  filled  with  advantages  in  respect  to  water-power.  It  is  on 
accouni  of  the  inferiority  of  the  advantages  of  their  territory, 
that  our  neighbors  feel  a  strong  opposition  to  our  establish- 
ment. 

At  the  foot  of  the  beautiful  mountain  of  Pembina,  which  is 
more  than  tM-o  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river  Pem- 
bina which  divides  it,  and  on  its  first  table  rises  the  little 
village  of  St.  Joseph.  It  is  divided  by  squares  of  twelve 
chains,  and  subdivided  by  lots  of  six  chains.  Its  streets  are 
one  chain  (sixty-six  feet)  wide,  which  adds  to  the  beauty  of 
the  town,  rendering  the  extinction  of  fire  easier  and  favoring 
the  free  circulation  of  air  and  the  health  of  the  citizens. 
Everything  wears  an  air  of  vigor  in  spite  of  the  little  protec- 
tion they  have  thus  far  received  from  the  general  government. 
The  least  effective  step,  such  as  a  garrison  of  soldiers,  however 
feeble  it  might  be,  the  construction  of  a  public  edifice,  a  court 
of  justice,  a  prison,  a  house  of  correction,  or  anything  that 
would  prove  the  indubitable  intention  of  government  to  protect 
us,  would  draw  to  this  place  a  great  portion  of  the  population 
of  Selkirk  and  elsewhere.  The  soil  is  very  fertile,  and  the 
frosts  never  occasion  any  damage.  Our  gardens  yield  us  an 
abundance  of  melons  of  all  kinds;  a  fruit  which  is  not  known 
in  tlie  gardens  of  the  Selkirkcrs.     In  1851,  the  first  frost  felt 


11 


:f^ym. 


358 


APPKNDIX. 


'  ii 


at  St  Paul  was  on  the  6th  or  7t^  of  September;  while  at  St 
Joseph  the  first  frost  was  not  ant.l  the  2d  or  3d  of  October 
I  hey  raise  potatoes  which  weigh  about  two  pounds  each,  and 
carrots  eighteen  inclies  long  and  four  in  diameter.  If  the 
country  were  explored  it  would  shew,  without  doubt,  great 
mmeralogical  advantages.  At  a  short  distance  from %m 
establishment,  there  are  certain  indications  of  iron  and  coal-  - 
these  two  articles  are  the  most  important  for  this  country. 
I  he  river  Pembina  furnishes  water-power  for  any  force  re- 
quired ;  there  is  also  stone  in  abundance  and  very  easily  ob- 


ir 


■.  $ 


THE    MOUNDS    OF    THE    MINNESOTA    VALLEY. 

*i  ^^Tu  ^^•'  ^'  ^-  ^'^^''  "^  *^^^  Lac-qui-Parle  mission,  gives 
the  following  interesting  account  of  the  mounds  of  the  Min- 
nesota valley :  — 

In  the  Minnesota  valley  mounds  are  numerous.     They  may 
properly  be  divided  into  .—.First,  natural  elevations,  pahas,  or 
pazhodans,  as  the  Dakotas   call  them  ;    second,  such  as  are 
partly  natural  and  partly  artificial ;  and  third,  elevations  which 
have  been  formed  by  certain  processes.     Pahas,  or  pazhodans, 
are  found  scattered  over  the  prairies,  some  of  the  more  prom- 
inent of  which  may  be  seen  from  a  great  distance.     Such  is 
Heyokatee,  the  house  of  Heyoka*  situated  near  the  Maya- 
Nrakan  or  Chippewa  river,  some  ten  miles  or  more  above  its 
junction  with  the  Minnesota.     This  natural  elevation  appears 
at  some  distance  to  the  right  of  the  road,  as  one  comes  from 
Black-oak  lake  to   Lac-qui-Parle.      But  even  this  is  hardly 

*  Heyoka  is  the  anti-natural  god  of  the  Dakotas  -  represented  by  an  dd 
nian  wearing  a  cooked  hat,  ^.-ith  a  quiver  on  his  back,  and  a  bow  in  his 
hand.  In  the  winter,  it  ig  .aid.  he  goes  naked,  and  loves  the  northern 
blasts ;  while  m  summer  he  wraps  his  buffalo-robe  around  him,  and  k  still 
sufformg  !rom  cold. 


MOUNDS   OF  THE  MINNESOTA   VALLEY. 


859 


to  be  compared  with  the  "  pahawakan,"  or  sacred  Mis,  in  the 
valley  of  the  James  river,  which  are  more  than  one  hundred 
feet  high,  and  can  be  distinctly  seen  from  the  farther  border 
of  the  Coteau  des  Prairies,  a  distance  of  about  forty  miles. 
In  passing  from  one  point  to  another  on  the  prairie,  the  ^a^^a* 
are  very  serviceable  as  guides  to  the  traveller. 

These  natural  elevations,  where  they  are  found  near  Indian 
villages,  have   been  used   as  burial-places.     Among  the  Da- 
kotas,   the  native  way  of  disposing  of  the  dead  is  that  of 
placing  them  on  scaffolds.     A  paha,  or  conspicuous  point,  is 
preferred  as  the  place  of  erecting  such  scaffold,  that  it  may  be 
seen  from  a  distance.     At  the  present  time,  burial  soon  after 
death  is  practised  to  a  considerable  extent  by  the  Dakotas  of 
the  Minnesota  valley,  including  those  still  on  the  Mississippi ; 
and  where  they  still  prefer  to  place  upon  scaffolds  at  first, 
they  not  unfrequently  bury  in  the  course  of  a  few  months. 
But  their  graves  are  so  shallow  that,  to  cover  the  dead  suffi- 
ciently, they  are  often  obliged  to   carry  up  earth  ;  and  it  is 
probable  that  formerly  they  carried  up  more  than  they  do  at 
present.     To  prevent  the  body  from  being  dug  up  by  wolves, 
they  generally  enclose  the  grave  by  setting  up  around,  in  a 
cone-like  form,  billets  of  wood.     The  decomposition  of  the 
bodies,  and  the  rotting  of  the  palisades  and  scaffolds,  enrich 
the  groand,  and  cause  a  more  luxuriant  growth  of  vegetation, 
which,  of  itself,  directly  tends  to  add  to  the  size  of  the  mound. 
Then  this  rank  vegetation  forms  a  nucleus  for  drift.     Then  the 
grass  and  dust  which  the  wind  blows  over  the  prairie,  lodc,3, 
and  make  the  elevation  still  greater.     On  the  hill,  a  short  d'is- 
tance  east  of  the  ruins  of  Fort  Renville,  to  the  northwest  and  in 
sight  of  the  mission-houses  at  Lac-qui-Parle,  there  is  a  paha 
of  this  kind,  in  which,  in  years  gone  by,  many  persons  have 
been  buried.     It  now  presents  on  the  top  a  very  irregular 
suiface,  partly  owing  to  the  interments  thus  made,  and  partly 
to  the  burrowing  of  the  gophers  in  it.     On  the  southwest  side 
ot  the  Minnesota,  a  short  distance  back  of  the  Wahpetonwan 
vihage,  there  is  another  mound,  which  has  been  long  used  as 
a  burying-place.     Similar  ones  mav  be  found  near  all  Dat-^« 
villages. 


I 


I 


< 

I 


360 


APPENDIX. 


If  tl 


I 


le  question  be  askeil,  Why  flo  the  Dakotas  prefer  these 
mounds  as  the  places  of  deposite  for  their  dead  ?  I  answer  :  — 
First,  as  before  suggested,  that  the  place  may  be  seen  from  a 
distance  all  around.     As  they  wail  morning  and  evening,  they 
can  conveniently  lo  .<  to  the  abode,  not  only  of  the  body  of 
their  departed  friend,  but,  as  many  of  them  believe,  of  one 
of  the  spirits  also.     Secondly,  aU  pa/ias  are  under  the  guard- 
ianship of  their  god  Heyoka.      And  thirdly,  a  hill  may  be 
regarded  as  a  more  congenial  place  of  rest  for  a  spirit  than  a 
valley  ;  and   thence,  too,  the  earthly  spirit  may   the  better 
hold  communion  M'ith  the  one  which  has  gone  to  the  east  along 
the  "iron  road,"  or  is  above,  making  progress  on  the  "  wanagi 
tachanku"  (the  via  lactia),  or  .ynrit's  road. 

The  third  species  of  elevations  which  I  shall  notice,  have 
the    form  of  embankments  rather  than  mounds.      They  are 
artificial,  found  usually  in  the  river  bottoms  or  low  planting 
lands,  and  formed  by  carrying  out,  spring  after  spring,  the 
corn-roots  and  other  trash  from  off  the  field,  and  piling  them 
along  the  outer  edge,  or  on  the  row  between  two  fields.     In 
many  instances  of  patches  that  had  been  planted  for  ten  or 
twenty  years   previous  to  the  introduction  of  the  plough,  I 
have  seen  these  embankments  from  two  to  three  feet  high,  and 
of  all  conceivable  shapes;  some  rhomboidal,  some  hexagonal, 
some  oval.     I  remember  having  noticed  them  first,  many  years 
ago,  in  the  old  plantings  at  Little  Six's  village,  where  I  pre- 
sume they  may  still  be  traced,  as  I  am  not  aware  that  those 

0  d  fields  (which  were  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and 
about  two  miles  below  the  site  of  the  present  village),  have 
ever  been  ploughed.  The  thought  has  occurred  to  me  that, 
perhaps  some  of  what  have  been  regarded  as  Indian  fortifi- 
cations  in  other  parts  of  the  country,  may  have  a  similar 
origin. 

In  connection  with  these  remarks  on  mounds,  it  is  proper 
to  give  some  description  of  a  very  interesting  excavation  and 
tortification,  which  is  found  a  few  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the 

1  a-zhe-hu-ta  ze  or  Yellow  Medicine  river.  It  is  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Minnesota,  and  within  ^ight  of  the  mission-station 
lately  connnencGd  by  Dr.  Vniliamson.    I  vi«iled  this  memorial 


M(JUND3   OF   THE   MINNKSOTA.   VALLEY. 


361 


of  another  race.     The  excavation  extends  around  three  sides 
ot  a  somewhat  irregular  square,  the  fourth  being  protected  b^ 
the  8  ope  of  the  hill,  which  is  now  covered  with  timber.   After 
the  hlling-up  of  years,  or  perhaps  centuries,  the  ditch  is  still 
about  three  feet  deep.     We  found  the  east  side,  in  the  middle 
ot  the  ditch,  to  measure  thirty-eight  paces;  the  south  side, 
sixty-two  ;  and  the  west  side,  fifty.     The  north  side  is  consid- 
erably  longer  than  the  south.    The  area  enclosed  is  not  far  from 
half  an  acre.     On  each  of  the  three  excavated  sides  there  was 
eft  a  gateway  of  about  two  paces.     The  earth  was  evidently 
thrown  up  on  both  sides  ;  but   the  embankments   have  now 
almost  entn-ely  disappeared  in  the  level  of  the  prairie.     With- 
in  the   enclosure  there   are  numerous  very  slight  elevations, 
which  seem  to  mark  the  places  occupied  by  the  dwellings  of 
those  who  were  once  entrenched  here.     It  would  be  interesting 
to  know  what  were  the  form  and  character  of  these  houses, 
but  all  we  can  learn  from  the  present  appearance  of  things  is, 
that  they  were  probably  partly  made  of  earth. 

.u  '^}r!^  ^^  ^^'  *^'^  ^^''^''^^  ^""^  "'^^^  interesting  fortification 
that  I  have  seen  in  the  valley  of  the  Minnesota.     How  long 
ago  was  this  ditch  dug,  and  by  whom  ?     It  evidently  bears  the 
marks  of  some  antiquity  ;  and  it  was  not  probably  made  by 
the  Dakotas,  as  it  must  date  many  years  beyond  their  occu- 
pancy  of  this   country.      Some  band  of  Indians,  perhaps  a 
ittle  in  advance  of  the  Dakotas  in  civilization,  here  entrenched 
themselves  against  the  attacks  of  their  enemies.     As  we  stood 
wi  hin  the  enclosure,  and  contemplated  the  work,  we  natu- 
rally asked  the  question.  Who  did  this  ?     And  from  the  deep 
silence  of  antiquity  the  only  answer  we  received  was,  Who  ? 

16 


M 


H 


i 


I  i! 


'll 


-"^^-^mf-'^pf^fm**'- 


362 


APPENDIX, 


THE    BROPIIY    SETTLEMENT. 

This  flourishing  farming  settlement  is  situated  six  miles 
northeast  of  St.  Paul,  and  four  and  a  half  miles  ""rom  St.  An- 
thony. It  was  first  settled  by  Michael  Brophy,  a  soldier  of 
the  Mexican  war,  who  went  into  this  wild  region,  accompanied 
by  a  beautiful  a?id  accomplished  wife,  in  the  fali  of  1850. 
He  here  entered  a  warrant  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  amid  this  beautiful  region  of  woodland,  prairie,  and 
charming  lakes,  and,  like  Blannerhasset,  dwelt  alone  away  from 
the  noise  and  bustle  of  the  rising  towns.  No  "  Burr"  was  there 
to  trouble  him,  save  the  burr-oaks  in  groves,  which  he  soon 
cleared  away,  and  putting  up  his  cabin,  commenced  a  perma- 
nent improvement.  He  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  other 
adventurers  seeking  for  homes  and  fortunes.  Through  his 
obliging  manners,  and  his  readiness  in  conducting  strangers 
through  the  country,  and  giving  them  all  the  information  in 
his  power,  as  well  as  by  the  hospitalities  extended  at  his  home 
he  drew  many  settlers  to  his  neighborhood.  The  earliest 
pioneers  succeeding  him  was  a  company  of  enterprising  young 
men,  known  as  the  "  Bachelors,"  who  located  there  in  the 
spring  of  1851.  Their  names  are,  James  R.  Lawrence,  Henry 
M'Kenty,  Patrick  Powers,  C.  E.  Shaffer,  a..d  Andrew  Jackson 
Morgan.  The  latter  forsook  "the  art  preservative  of  arts," 
and  the  setting  of  types  for  the  setting  of  stakes,  the  following 
of  the  plough,  and  a  residence  with  the  other  "  Bachelors"  in 
a  house  of  tamarac  logs. 

Here  they  opened  up  their  farms  and  flourished  amid  the 
beauties  of  Brophy.  By  industry,  untiring  perseverance,  and 
a  rapid  meeting  with  and  battling  all  opposing  obstacles  with 
resolute  hearts,  and  with  contented  ihinds,  they  here  dwelt 
peacefully,  and  laid  the  foundations  for  future  wealth  and 
independence.  Other  settlers  followed,  and  the  la. .a  is  now 
being  rapidly  taken  up.  To  those  in  search  of  a  good  farm, 
witn  all  the  necessary  requisites  of  soil,  wood,  and  water,  com- 
bined, with  an  easy  access  to  two  good  markets  at  very  con- 


LIST   OF   OFFICIALS. 


868 


a 


that  are  seldom  met  with  elsewhere.     The  soil  consists        a 
rich  clay  and  sandy  loam  — the  two  being  often  found  on  t..e 
same  quarter  section,     it  produces  well— nay  luxuriantly,  as 
any  one  may  see  hy  a  few  hours'  ride  amid  the  fine  farms  now 
opened.     Oak  openings  and  rolling  prairies  are  interspersed  to 
suit  the  various  tastes  of  all,  and  many  fine  locations  on  the 
various  lakes  are  yet  unoccapied.     It  is  destined  to  become 
the  most  flourishing  farming  settlement  in  the  neighborhood  of 
St  Anthony  or  St.  Paul,  from  the  fact  that  a  number  of  enter- 
prising  men  are  no^  located  there,  and  all  other  things  being 
equal,  it  has  obtained  a  start  which  nothing  can  retard.     The 
whole  settlement  for  many  miles  is  beautifully  interspersed 
with  lakes,  of  all  shapes  and  siz«.s.     The  most  beautiful  of 
these  is  Lake  Johanna,  situated  in  the  very  midst  of  the  settle- 
ment.    It  is  three  miles  in  circumference,  and  is  surrounded 
by  beautiful    headlands,  peninsulas,  and    high  bluffs.      The 
waters  are  of  a  crystal  clearness,  and  abound  in  all  kinds  of 
fish  common  to  the  territory.     The  shores  are  sandy  and  full 
of  pebbles,  among  which  cornelians,  agates,  etc.,  are  occasion- 
ally found.     Lake  Johanna  is  indeed  a  most  romantic,  lovely 
spot,  and  your  eye  loves  to  linger  upon  its  quiet,  peaceful,  sur- 
face, while  the  ^'  tting  orb  of  day  throws  on  its  surrounding 
scenery  a  flush  of  variegated  light,  which  glows  and  kindles 
like  the  rose  which  tints  the  fair  soft  cheek  of  an  eastern  kmri. 


m 


LIST  OF  OFFICIALS. 
The  organization  of  the  territory  of  Minnesota  having  been 
made  during  the  administration  of  President  Taylor,  the  first 
oflicial  appiintments  were  made  (as  is  the  precedent)  from  the 
ranks  of  the  political  party  then  in  power,  consequently  the 
iust  executive  ofiicers  of  Minnesota  were  whigs.  But  the  ad- 
T-inistration  of  General  Pierce  succeeding,  the  first  incum- 
bents were  removed,  and  the  important  offices  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  Minnesota  were  filled  by  appointment  of  the 
democratic  president,  and  otherwise,  as  follows:— 

Governor  and  Supkrinx indent  ov  Indian  Affairs— Willis  A.  Gorman  of 
Indiana^  vice  Alexander  Ramsey,  formerly  of  Pennsylvania. 


364 


APPENDIX. 


i 


Secretary  of  the  Tekritory— J.  T.  Roeser   of  V 


Wilkin,  of  Minnesota 


irgiiiifl,  vu-e  Alexnncler 


ClllEK-Jl 


-Willi 


lesota,  vice 


)  UhTICE- 

nierly  of  New  York. 

AssociATK.hrsT,rp:s_A.  G.  Chatfield,  of  WisconBin,  vice  I)avi<l  Cooper, 
forn.erly  of  Pennsylvania;  and  IMoses  Sherburne,  of  Maine,  vice  Bradley  B. 
Meeker,  formerly  of  Kentucky.  ^ 

United  States  Marsual-W.  W.  Irwin,  of  Missouri,  vice  J.  W.  Fi.rber  of 
Minnesota.  '  ' 

UNrrED  States  DisrRicT-ArroRNEY-Danlel  H.  Dustin,  of  New  York,  vice 
Henry  L.  Moss,  of  Minnesota. 

T  ^';;^-^\^^^"'''!'  -^^  BTiLLWATER-Willlam  H.  Holcombe,  of  Minnesota,  vice 
Jonathan  M'Knsick.  of  Minnesota. 

Land-Reoistkr  AT  Stillwater-T.  M.  Fullerton.  of  Minnesota,  vice  Allen 
Pierse,  of  Minnesota. 

Land-Rkceiver  at  Hmik  RAPiDS-William  H.  Wood,  of  Minnesota,  vice 
A.  thn  ttnas,  of  Minnesota. 

LANn-RKorsTER  AT  Sauk  RAPios-George  W.  Sweet,  of  Minnesota,  vice 
Reuben  H.  Richiirdson,  of  Minnesota. 

Agent  for  tiu.  Winnebagoes-J.  E.  Fletcher,  of  Iowa,  vice  A.  M.  Fridlev 
Jorinerly  of  New  York,  "" 

Agent  for  t.ie  Sioux-R.  G.  Murphy,  of  Illinois,  vice  N.  M'Lean,  of  Min- 
nesota. 

Agent  FOR  the  Chippewas-D.  B.  Herriman,  of  Indiana,  vice  J.  S.  Wat- 
rous,  of  Wisconsin. 

Postmaster  at  St.  PAUL-William  H.  Forbes,  of  Minnesota,  vie.  J.  W 
Bass,  of  Minnesota.  .  ».. 

Postmaster  at  St.  ANTHONY-Orrin  W.  Rice,  of  Minnesota,  vice  Ard  God 
frey,  of  Minnesota. 

Collector  of  United  States  Customs  at  St.  Paul— Robert  Kennedy  of 
Minnesota,  vice  Charles  J.  Henniss,  of  Minnesota. 

Collector  of  United  Spates  Customs  at  Pembina— Philip  Beaunr^  of  Min- 
nesota,  vice  Charles  Cavileer,  of  Minnesota. 

Clerk  of  the  Supreme  CouRT-Andrew  J.  Whitney,  of  Minnesota,  vice 
James  K.  Humphrey,  of  Minnesota. 

Librarian  AND  Private  Secretary-R.  A.  Smith,  of  Indiana.  r/c«  Wallace 
B.  VVhite,  of  Minnesota.  ^ 

De.  .gate  in  CoNGRESs-Henry  M.  Rice,  vice  Henry  H.  Sibley  (whose 
term  of  service  has  expired,  the  delegate  being  elected  for  two  years) 
ATTORNEY-GENERAi^Lafayette  Emmett,  vice  L.  A.  Babcock,  resigned 
ADJUTANT-GENERAL-^^ylvanus  B.  Lowry,  t-ece  James  M'Clelland  Boal' 
Tepritorul  Auditor— Socrates  Nelson,  vice  A.  Van  Voorhies 
Territorial  Treasurer— Ros well  B.  Russell,  vice  Calvin  Tuttle 
SutEWNTENDBNT  OF  ScHooi^-Gcorge  W.  Preecott,  vice  Rev.  E.'  D  NeiU, 


iiider 

•,  for- 

oper, 
eyB. 

sr,  of 

,  vice 

,  vice 

^llen 

vice 

vice 

"ey, 

Vlin- 

\^at- 

W. 

}od 

,of 

lin- 

vice 

ace 

ose 


MINNESOTA  AND  ITS  RESOURCES. 


u, 


The  following  letters,  from  distinguished  and  well-known  sources,  are 
offered  for  perusal  to  the  readers  of  this  work,  as  evidences  of  the  apprecia- 
tion which  the  subject  of  "  Minnesota"  commands  within  tha  territory.  As 
complimentary  to  the  author,  they  have  given  him  much  encouragement 
toward  the  success  of  the  book;  while  they  reflect  in  a  great  measure  the 
tone  which  every  true  friend  of  western  settlement  should  cheerfully  re- 
spond to: — 

{From  Hon.  Alexander  Ramsey.) 

St.  Pato,  June  21,  1853. 

J.  S.  Redfield,  Esq. — Dear  Sir :  Mr.  J,  Wesley  Bond,  a  resident  of  this 
place  for  three  years,  and  who  in  that  time  has  enjoyed  more  than  ordinary 
facilities  for  the  acquisition  of  much  valuable  and  interesting  information  of 
the  current  history  an  1  statistics  of  this  territory,  has  prepared,  and  pro- 
poses to  publish,  a  work  illustradng  the  present  condition  of  Minnesota. 
Such  a  work  is  a  desideratum  at  this  time ;  and  Mr.  Bond,  from  the  large 
store  of  interesting  facts  that  he  has  been  industriously  collecting,  and  his 
acknowledged  abilities  as  a  ready  and  fluent  writer,  I  am  convinced  will 
satisfy  the  wants  of  the  public  in  this  regard. 

The  interest  that  has  been  excited  all  over  the  Union  in  reference  to  this 
region  of  the  northwest  will  secure  the  book  a  ready  sale,  and  I  trust  it  may 
be  convenient  for  you  to  aid  Mr.  Bond  in  bringing  it  before  the  public. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

Alex.  Ramsey. 

(From  His  Excellency  Governor  Gorman.) 

Executive  Depaktment,  St.  Paul,  Minn.  Ter.,  ) 

June  25,  1 853.       \ 
3.  S.  Redfield,  Esq.— i)ear  Sir :  Mr.  Bond  has  written  a  history  of  Min- 
nesota, thai  is  favorably  spoken  of  here.     He  desires  to  make  some  arrange- 
ment for  the  publication.    I  have  no  doubt  but  that  it  will  have  a  largo 


if 

It 


!• 


'■   ! 


^  COMMENDATORY   NOTICES. 

cirenlaf ion  ami  ready  sale.     Any  facility  you  can  afford  to  the  end  desired 
will  be  regarded  as  a  favor  to  the  territory  and  to  myself 

M(>8t  respectfully, 

W.  A.  Gorman. 

(From  Isaac  ^  Ooodfiue,  Enq.,  late  Editor  of  the  Minnesota  Pioneer.) 

Tap,  -p  7.        o.        T      ,  ^''-  ^-^"^  '^""^  20,  1863. 

J.  H.  IlKDFiELn,  Esq.— 7)<>«r  S,r :  In  the  states  east  of  us  there  are  proba- 
bly more  innuines  for  information  respecting  Minn-  ota  than  for  any  other 
point  of  sottlenient  in  the  i.ew  localities  of  our  continent.     As  editor  of  the 

JVlinnesota  Pioneer'  newspaper,  I  have  had  occasion  to  observe  a  renuwk- 
al)le  <legree  of  avidity  with  which  information  of  our  territory  has  been 
Bouijht  l.y  eastern  i)eople  who  contemplate  emigration  to  the  west.  I  am 
conhdent  t  uit  Mr.  Bond's  manuscript  respecting  our  territory  will  meet 
With  a  ready  sale  whenever  it  is  offered  to  the  public— especially  in  the 
states  east  ot  us.  As  to  the  qualities  of  the  work,  1  can  assure  you,  tliat  if 
they  are  such  as  Huive  found  in  his  frequent  communications  to  the  readers 
ot  the  1  loneer,  they  are  admirably  suited  to  the  j.urpose  intended 

1  wish  Mr.  Bond  entire  success  in  his  enterprise,  and  doubt  not  he  will 
attain  it  under  the  auspices  of  your  establishment,  if  he  shall  be  so  happy 
as  to  receive  your  material  encouragement. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

I.  N.  Goodhue,  editor  "Minn.  Pio." 

(From  Rev.  E.  D.  Neill,  Secretary  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Minnesota.) 

•Mr,    T  w  Tj  Tx        c-       r^  ^'^-  ^'^^'^'  ^^-  'T-'  '^""^  18.  1853. 

Mr.  J.^  W.  Bo^d— Dear  Sir:  The  work,  entitled  "Minnesota  and  its  Re- 
sources, that  you  liaye  prepared,  and  asked  me  to  examine  as  secretary  of 
the  Minnesota  Historical  Society,  has  been  perused  with  pleasure  The  ar- 
tides  from  your  own  pen,  and  those  collated  from  the  tiles  of  Minnesota 
papers,  are  such  as  will  often  be  referred  to  by  the  Minnesotian.  1  have  no 
doubt  that,  when  the  book  is  published,  it  will  meet  with  a  rapid  sale  not 
only  m  Minnesota,  but  ^t  the  east,  for  it  conveys  just  the  sort  of  information 
the  immigrant  desires.  The  only  book  that  has  been  published  on  Minne- 
sota IS  Seymours  work.  This  gentleman  (now  no  more)  was  a  lawyer  in 
Galena.  Without  practice,  and  very  needy,  he  made  a  hasty  trij)  to  the 
territory,  not  being  absent  from  Galena  more  than  two  weeks;  and  afte. 
borrowing  a  book  of  travels,  by  Long,  from  one  of  my  friends,  returned  ana 
wrote  the  Sketches  of  Minnesota,"  which  have  been  the  only  sources  of 
intormation  at  the  command  of  the  immigrant. 

I  hope  that  you  will  lose  no  time  in  forwarding  yonr  book  to  some  eastern 
publisher,  tor  such  a  manual  is  much  needed. 

Very  truly  your  friend, 

E.  D.  Neill. 


{From  J.  Esaias  Warren,  Esq.) 

1   c    T>  T.  r^        ^        ,  ®^-  Pa^  '^""«  20,  1853. 

.1.  b.  Kedfikld,  Esq.— Dear  Sir :  I  take  pleasure  in  submitting  to  your 
careful  nerusal  the  MS>S  nf  np  Dy.-naoi^iy\tfh'  J.^f^"-cf,'-, — , — i-   --  n'*-  . 

Which  1  think  it  would  prove  greatly  to  your  interest  to  give  to  the  world 


COMMENDATORY   NO'nOES. 


8 


in  a  pernmnont  form.  TIio  niithor  is  nn  oxocUent  writor,  and  has  been  for 
years  n  rt'sidt'tif.  of  Mi«  t<!rritory.  Uc  has  dona  ani|)I«  justice  to  liia  suhjoct, 
and  this  is  Biiyinfif  as  much  as  .  niild  be  saiil.  Tho  iiiimifjration  is  now  bo 
great,  iind  so  rai)idly  on  th»f  iiuircase,  tliat  a  new  work  on  the  country  is 
nuieli  in  domand,  and  coul<l  not  fail  to  coniinand  an  «'Xten8ive  and  ready 
sale.  Fr(»i)infj;  (hat  you  will  be  able  to  undertake  the  publication  of  the 
work,  I  have  the  pleaniire  to  subscribe  myself 

Your  friend  and  obedient  servant, 

J.  Ehaias  Warren, 


{From  J.  J.  Noah,  Esq.) 

'  St.  Paul,  June  1 8,  1 853. 
J.  S.  Redfielt),  Esq. — Bear  Sir:  My  personal  friend,  J.  W.  Bond,  Esq., 
has  handed  me  for  perusal  a  "paper"  on  Minnesota,  comprising  researcheg 
and  useful  information  rarely  to  be  met  with  in  the  literature  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  which  he  tells  me  he  is  anxious  to  have  published  by  your  house. 
In  recommending  your  acce)>tance  of  (he  same,  I  feel  perfectly  confident  of 
its  certain  success,  stored  as  it  is  with  laformation  more  perfect  and  varied 
than  the  casual,  speculative  writer  cares  to  fill  his  volume  with.  Mr.  Bond 
has  devoted  a  long  residence  here  to  literary  pursuit?,  and  liia  "Ciimp-Fire 
Sketches"  were  looked  upon  as  ably  written,  as  well  as  instructive  and 
agreeable.  As  an  editor,  I  have  had  abundant  oppor(unity  to  note  the  cra- 
vings of  popular  taste ;  and  tlie  lapse  of  time  since  tlie  publication  of  a  "  pla- 
giaiisni"  on  Minnesota,  by  Mr.  Seymour,  of  Galena,  has  developed  this  focus 
of  western  civilization,  until  it  has  become  an  object  of  much  attention 
throughout  the  United  States.     Consequently  some(hing  really  original  and 

Sractical  is  in  high  demand  ;  and,  upon  a  careful  examination  of  the  effort  of 
[r.  Bond,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  urge  its  speedy  publication. 

With  respect  I  subscribe  myself  your  ob't  servant, 

Jacob  J.  Noah. 


(From  Hon.  K  Z.  Hayner,  late  Chief-Jmtice  of  the  Territonj  of  MinneMta.) 

St.  Paul,  June  22,  1853. 
J.  S.  Redfield,  Esq. — Dear  Sir :  With  feelings  of  pleasure,  permit  >ne  to 
add  my  testimonial  to  the  alilo  effort  of  J.  Wesley  Bond,  Esq.,  who  has  be- 
stowed much  care  and  labor  upon  "  Minnesota  and  its  Resources,"  and  which 
he  contemplates  offering  to  you  for  publication.  The  production  of  such  a 
work,  witli  information  known  to  be  peculiarly  correct,  aside  from  any  pub- 
lic character  its  statistics  may  assume,  must,  in  my  judgment,  meet  with  suc- 
cess and  unbounded  puljlic  approbation.  The  eyes  of  (he  Atlantic  popula- 
tion are  continually  gazing,  in  the  dim  obscurity  of  distance,  toward  the 
Great  West,  the  immense  resources  of  which  remain  yet  to  be  developed  by 
the  hardy  sons  of  New  England  and  the  down-trodden  masses  escaping  from 
tyranny  to  find  happy,  peaceful  homes  within  our  vast  domain.  I  know  of 
no  country  better  adapted  to  the  confidence  of  western  immiijration  tlian  Min- 
nesota ;  and,  in  order  that  such  confidence  may  be  generally  diffusa  1,  I  can 
safely  recommend  the  work  of  Mr.  Bond  to  the  inquiring  public.  The  liter- 
ary reputation  of  the  author  is  enviable,  and  I  trust  you  may  find  it  conve- 
nient and  profitable  to  embark  in  his  enterprise. 

Witli  respect,  your  ob't  servant. 

H.  Z.  Hayner. 


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J.  a  REDFIELD, 

110  AND  112  NASSAU  STREET,  NEW  YORK, 

HAS  JUST  PUBLISHED: 


EPISODES  OF  INSECT  LIFE, 

^^'lllJ^  ^r*?"'"'''-     ^ttT^;'^  ^"""^  =  I-  I"«^ct8  of  Spring.- 
n.  Insects  of  Summer— III.    Insects  of  Autumn.     BeLtifnYly 
Illustrated.     Crown  8vo.,  cloth,  gilt,  price  $2.00  each.     The  same 
beautifully  colored  after  nature,  extra  gilt,  $4.00  each. 


->4^ 


MEN  AND  WOME'N  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

^■"l  tTiv  ""^^'4''^'  """^'^  beautifully  Engraved  Portraits  of 
Louis  XV.,  and  Madame  de  Pompadour.  Two  volume  12rao. 
450  pages  each,  extra  superfine  paper,  price  $2.50. 

^  noZVfffl^''"'"?;-^"'' o""'  Mnrivaux,  Piron,  The  Abbg  Prevost,  GentiI.Bem.rd. 
Florian,  Boufflers,  Diderot.  Grgtry,  Riverol,  Louie  XV.,  Greuze,  Boucher,  The  Van^ 
loos  Lantara,  Watteau  La  Motte,  Dehle,  Abbg  Trublct.  Buffon,  Dorat.  Cardinal  de 
Bernis,  Crgbillon  the  Gay,  Marie  Antoinette,  Made,  de  Po:upadour  V»M  M  1p  r? 
njargo,  Mile  Clairon.  Mad.  de  la  Popelini^re,  Sophie  An.ouXc./biL  he^T  agt 

trcbrvX?de'?:srr^'^^'^'"'^^ 

"A  more  fascinatin?  book  than  this  rarely  issues  from  the  teemin<r  nreBs     K««„i„. 


aEDFIELD-8    NEW    AVD    POPULAR    PUBLICATIONS. 

PHTLOSOPIIBRS  AND  ACTJiESSES 

or  needful  .lumbers,  by  the  entrancing  influrnci  n  f^^^""  *™'"  °"'"  ""P^'nous  l.borV 

^iVC/^iVr  EGYPT  UNDER  THE  PHARAOHS, 

By  John  Kk.vdr.ck,  M.  A.     In  2  vols.,  12mo,  price  $2.50. 

peno,]8  from  the  earliest  records  of  the  monarchv   o  hTfin:,  '.""'^  ''?'''''=?'  '^"""S  'he 

t..ms  of  the  inhabitants,  the.r  m ngungriaws  aS-e  l.v,  •  °'"'^'*'^"  ","'""^'''  «"d  cue- 
and  commerce.'- Cmmercwi  ^d,-*",!!^         '     ^^""^^  '^el.g.on,  agriculture,  navigation 

of  '^^^^^"^i^X^rS^^ir^^^:^^^^  ^  the  combined  labors 

th:  /a"d'rfl?;jrgathennT  Z^'^^^^^^t  "^^^''1'  '^'''^'^}-^  "^'th  the  author,  through 
ends  with  a  more  inSent  knowlJd  I?.'  "*"^  Phases  of  her  wondrous  his  ory,  afd 
PharaohB/'-.4«erfcarSaL  '^^^'^''"  ^^^"^^  before  had,  of  the  land  ^-  the 

COMPARATIVE  PHY&.  JGNOMY; 

Or  Resemblances  between  Men  and  Animals.    By  J.  W.  Redfield 

«n'it?;'orTgfnamy  «rd^£"radonZ^^^  '*°!'  '"«'™^«^«  '"'o'^.  eurlou. 

structive  because  it  contains  very  .n™ch„^,e,l,lmfnr^?^^  '^"'^  analyses,  and  in. 

•ulyect.    It  will  bo  eagerly  read  and  qubkry  appredatJT.      /^^^^^  ^  toomuch  neglected 

"  The  whole  work  exhibits  a  irnnrf  Hn»i    V  '*PP™'i'?'^a.  —National  ^gis. 
and  ingenuity.-'-Z)a%  S^nz-St"  ^""'^  '^'"'  "^  ^"""'^c  research,  intelligent  observation, 

/?J;rSf&ir2£tl  ''^'^  ^°  ^^"^^'^^^  »•«-«  «ttle  time  to  study  the  science  "- 
in;;r^rti'o^n?«^^TThr;;tr'^aV?c?rSus'e°m;^^?  "V^^'^^^  I?"'-  -''o  study  for 

"^.^K'-vTrwr/^iti'StTurr^"!-^^^^^^ 

euriou..'Ci>a%  !<  j^«t^'  ^''^  P"^""^  '*^''''"«'  ^^  """t  challenge  the  atteution  of  tb* 


RBDFIKLD'S    NKW    AND    POPULAR    PUBLirATIONi. 


jI 


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are 

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NOTES  AND  EMByUATfO.X.S  OF  .SIIAKE.SPKARE. 

Notes  and    Emendations   to  the  Tt-xf  <.r  shuU-.o^        ,    m 

the  Early  Ma„a.cn,.C,,;'rc.il;rVcy7rM^^^^^^ 

in  tKe  possession  of  John  Pavne  Collier   E,nir  Si  T?^  J 

"  The  corrections  which  Mr  Colh'e?  has  hero  fnv.^n  ,t  ^""^  ^•["'''•"-^"''rf.  Exam. 
thinii,  of  more  value  than  the  labors  of  neaX»lffhiV>- ^"^  ^"^'^  a"-",  w"  venture  to 
tog"ther."- Londo,i  Library  Gazette  ^     '  ^^^  ^"^""'  ""  ^hakespeare-e  text  put 

"  It  is  a  bock  absolutoly  infli.,,en-ab|M  to  pv<  rl  1,  .!.  '^"'T^'^  pooX.'^Ch'xtoa  Cour. 
to  read  hi.n  u..der8t.n,li4lv;'-L",S;7/rcSr     "         "*  ^hakospearo  who  wishe. 

FhUacLlphi  ,  P°'  ""*'  *' « '"*"y  o«  f  »e  corrections."- Register, 


By 


rffE  HISTORY  OF  THE  CRUSADES 

read   u  m  its  oriffinallani^uace.     Another  wo  k  on  tbll.      ^'"iK  ^"^  «"  who  could 
as  a  new  hiatorv  of  the    Decline  m.^Pu    -  »T.n"  "'"  """'*'  s"bJoct  is  as  lmprobftbI« 

^".?J-: --PA  'arfa^;,A;a  Amcrina^i  Colrilr     ^  ^""^  ^""'^^  "^  ^he  wild  wara  for  the  Holy 
aent  m„.t  now  resort  for  copious  and  authenTcfJct^  Ind"?*^  •'^'''  "'•«  ''""«"<=*1  «tu- 


!^ 


MARMADUKE  WYVIL. 

iln  Historical  Romance  of  ]651-  bv  He-^ky  W    W., 

of  the  -Cavalien,  of  England,-  &c     51  ^^-^^^^^Fu^^t.^'^'' 
Kevised  and  Corrected.    ^  ' 


--.     ...  ^ar^nuiiiKT,  autnor 
&c.     Fourteenth  Edition. 


dent'^nd^ronJulJ:  inlnSint 'Lei"' fT  '"'^^  T^-  '-''-f""  «f  terming  incl- 
mado  the  works  o  f  Mr  h!' be  t  so  JoSar  "     r^'r/'J/r'^r "'"^  '"  *^"^  «'yJ«  whS  hi 

. "  The  work  is  disiinguish(-d  bv  the  saml  hlTf    ■     /        ^^^^nn.  BoMon. 
pictorial  benuty  of  style^,  whicS  ha>?cl,a  acte;  Sd  »n  .V^^^'^'l^^*-'.''!"'""*?  '•"eident.  and 

of  deeMi';;Vtrd'of"crsid'lil?e"hiS^^^  ^'^  constructed  a  novel 


tEDFIELD's    NEW    AND    POPULAR    PUBLICATIONS. 


y 


nr  I.    ^^.^'"^^^^^^^"^  ^^D  EXPLORATION 

Q«e«e!'SS^  With  the  Ordinal  Narratives  of  Mar- 

John  gYlmarv  ^^'''"^'^e,  Hennepin,  and  Anastase  Douay.     By 
Of  ^^^-  ^^-Sv^r'cJ^rZ^  -  ^0.,i.i  MaJ 

"Vi' rF^"-^^^^^^^^^^^^  to  .no.  the  ear,,  hUto., 

.ubJm^otE  i?rc£!,"  ' ItTSKr  1?°?*,  *''°'""«^  '^-''  ^1>"» '"«  -appeared  o„  tJ.o 
no  legitimate  -ource  onnformaSoS  has  KnVo  """^  cliligentVeaearch  and 

"  r  sl;Tar„r^'''^  ^^^^^^^^^^   Sor-^ins jt:^.  -"^^^-  '^« 

praise  by!he  exceS'LlnVr"^' which  hi hLT  °'  '"'^'^.t*'  "'«'•"«'•«  -^--'hy  of  all 
the  vxea»."-Bo$ton  TVarX  ^*'  ^®  ^**  prepared  thl«  important  publicatiou  for 


(Jr 


NEWMANS  REGAL  ROME. 
An  Introduction  to  Roman  History.    By  Francis  W   Nvw^.« 

Sll!"63le^t:'"  ^"  ''^  Univrrsit/colCLi^---^^ 

reSon';rd  !' r^lSLlTqurirn^'^iftl^SrLtr"^    "J^  «^^«^  — »>  -"^ 
"A  work  of  great  erudition  and  nnw.r  v.  m  ''"-'f»»"'-e."-C«Mr/«-fl,/rf  £«y»,v«.. 

man  hintory  un'der  the  kings"   We^ZcWtli^i^ZVi^^^^^^^  T'""^'"*»>  '-•«  "'  «"• 

»it,  and  eminent  interest-a  work  th«f t^m  a.*      »  tu  "'  P^^'ound  scholarship,  L^.nial 
reader."-,V.  Y.  Evangelist       °  ^  ^^^^  "^'^^  ""^''^  '»»«  '"-'^"l'"-  ""d  I'lease  the  general 

tai^^'tre^l^LS^.^S- ^^  »Lou,d  be  banished,  and  such  as  this  should 

th:SSr„^oWe"i;^„^^^^^^^^^  from  the  light  it  thrown  on 

ftreet  Journal,  *    ^  '  "*®  "''''*•  "°<»  ^^^  history,  of  ancient  Home,"— W'o/^ 


^ 


THE  CHEVALIERS  OF  FRANCE. 

Tt?  £®  Crusaders  to  the  Mareschals  of  Louis  XTV      R„  tj 


Crom 


.th;fcounS^^Xli'';ra2,^^^         °^  ^^^'^^^^  *«'-  -d  legends  in  this  or  «a 

pa'^^l^^f  rh°etn1/»ZFl^Kj«^^^^  't  is  a  movin. 

"  The  series  of  works  by  this  author  iZfr„H        ^1    ^    ''^  chiVHlry."_^/A„„y  Spec 

Ihe  .uthort  oumerou,  romaiii™.'?!^,,^;"^^,^."''  •''""■■on  among  ih„  reiidBi-.  J 


,1 


REDHIOI.r'H    Ni;W    AND    P0P[TI, 


An    I'rrnr.icATTONB. 


I 


MOOIiJC'S  LIFE  OF  .S///;AV/;.liV. 
Rfomoirs  of  flip   riff.  ,,('  fli,.   lu    ti   .,    t>-  \       ■   i,  .     , 

J  wo  vols.,  l-Jnio,  eloili,  $•>.{>().  JvtynoKig. 

~"£'?r4' ^^  ""^^^^^^  aa  Moore.. 

in  tin.  work  juatice  dol/o  Air/urpa'ssi^.'^^^eT.-'T  K  IbZS^'  «''"^"''  ""''  *>- 


BARRINGTON'S  SJ{ ETCHES. 
Personal  Skctchrs  of  his  own  Time,  bv  Sir  Tonah  n.^r. 

Judge  of  the  High  Court  of  Adrniraftyin   f  Z"    wkh    HuJtra' 
tions  l,y  Darley.     Third  Edition,  12r«c{  cloth,  $1  25  ""'''*" 

tho  most  striking  an.J  graceful  outlin"/'- JLSX»"  '  '"""  "'■*'  ^''  ''^' ^ 

"  fie  W(t«  a  vrry  nhrcwd  (ibeervpr  and  c-fct-ntrir-  writ,.'..  o„^  u- 
lifp.  and  skptrhre  of8..ri,.ty  in  Ireland  during  his  timnil'..         *"'  "^T't'^'^  "^  hia  ow„ 
lnterestins."-/V.  K  Co,«mLi«r!ir^<S^  ^"  """''  «'«-' ^^^^'d-'fe'ly  humorous  and 

"  It  ie  one  of  tliose  works  which  arc  roncpivrd  and  writtnn  {«  o^  »,„    . 
brings  helore  the  reader  eo  n.any  palpable  and  nmue  'nrch  uaeters  Zlll  ^'^'/P^ 
men    and  inlornrntion  are  .■qually  balnncT,!."- «„.«;««  7v^„"w,'  ^  entertain 

1  his  IS  one  ot  the  mnst  entertaining  books  of  the  sphso  .  '•— n>  v  d       j 


JOMINIS  CAMPAIGN  OF   WATERLOO. 

The  Political  and  Militaiy  History  of  the  Campaign  of  Waterloo 
frorn  tlje  French  .>f  Gen.  Baron  Jomini,  by  Lieut^.  S^  w' 
U.  S.  Ordnance,  with  a  Map,  IS^o,  cl(,th,  75  cents.  * 

a;g;rr::!^;;5r«l?'-'*^^^«^«''^-'^'-         -^^^^  acknowledged  fmp„rtl.llty."- 

Ket-rsiti-;^^^^^^^^^ 

genera   reader  it  po-.^esses  gr-at  value  and  intero8t."-Vo,^"«  rr«,Sr"^^^^^  ^"'^  ^""^  ^^ 
V:P'S^.r^^il-;j^^:::^^,-:-^^^^  n^imary  and 

-It  is  nbly  written  and  skilfully  translated."— j'aw^tee  filadt. 


Redfikld's  new 


AND    POPULAR    PUnMCATIONg. 


MACAULATS  SPEECHES 
'•V  ihe   Ri.br  Hnn.  T.  B.  Macaulat,  M.  P 


Speerhps 
Tw„  vols..  I'Lo,  ,.;!?';  sioo.  ^"^'  '>^  Ancent  Kome."  dec,  dec. 

S    I^IP"'-'  ";;?  j'l'i'."  ""••J"'''  thathedoS  in  hf.  S"at^^^''?  '^^  'fT  ^''''•'  ""^ 


^ 


■  TRENCH  ON  PROVERBS. 

«nnrL  V,  .''°?''  "^  ""^e  profoundly  instrucUve  and  «??.   '^  ^^  before."- F««Aw  flZarf«. 

hiBo^vrroTi'iii'CururbtwSro?^^^^^        wen  cultivated,  «dding  not  only  to 
"  The  work  shows  «„  acu  e  perZfon    «  i''?',"^-"""-  ~.^'*«"y  ^*»«^^  TVoSi 


■i^ 


THE  LION  SKIN 

And  the  Lover  Hunt ;  by  Charles  de  Berivard.     l2mo    ftl  00 

-A'«rfon«f  (WorSenor,  MassV^^f/      '  '"""  """^  «°  provocative  of  honeet  Uiought!" 

..OS  l^r  It'Sat  t'  ,^"^n^tl,S?^  Rre^r^JT^-'^'^  *"  ^'^^  P-^-ipa.  person- 
*^:^^-.^''Y^>Bo»ton  Olive  flraJl^^  '°  ^"^  '^^  ''""^  '^o«'°  «»»"  he  baa  learneS  S 

.  «oV:  -S^n^^rre^se^'lTcS^^  «tory  which  is  written  for 

oaded  in  the  handle  with  a  pound  o f  nhil^nth^  *'P''*^  "^''^  "^«  ""•PP'"'-  of  a  mo7^  or 

\o<iOX>hyr-Springfiad  ReplSlican.      '^^'^'^^'m:  or  an  equal  qui^tity  of  lea^e!,  pW 


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««DPreiD'i    NEW    AMD    POPULAR    PBBlICATIOlli. 

A  STUAY  YANKEH  IN  TEXAS. 
A  Stray  Yankee  in  Texas.     By   I'hilip  Paxtow    '  wwl,  hi    ^ 


f 


JV/CIf  OF  THE  WOODS. 


Nick  of  the  Woods,  or  the  Jibbenainosay  ;  a  Tale  of  Kentr^olr^     u- 
>BERT  M.  Bird,  M.  D.,  Author  of  ..Calavar  •' ^Ce  I^^^^ 
:.     New  anr  Rfiviap^  f,i;m,>.,  ...:*u  TiK   '     ..  '        ^  Jie  inhdel," 


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I 


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ira/ri;,  RED,  AND  BLACK. 

^'pS^c^^^."srJA"^;rK^?;:^ 

judiciourbSVhic''win^°TeC'^^^^^^^^^^  Pljoduced  an  eminently  candid  ani 

tic."-;V£„  Y^k  Daily  Times  P'^"'""^"  """^  P"""^'  °»  both  Bides  of  the  Atlan- 

have  gfven  u^a  viow  o'l'th/ HuS'^  "  ""'""'^^^^  °^  '^^'^''^^'^  '"terr.t  and  value     Thev 

'il^^P'"^^^^^^^^^^  1-  at  once  the  moat 

n.«n^';ircfsp:tf.%?eri^»\£;^«„S^^  of  our  Institution.. 

°"^ter'a1>;Ui;rL'.:r.^l''-'^«^"^^^^^^^  ev^cea  pretty  tho/ 


«.»r.EL0'.    HtW   AND    PCOIAR    PUBLICATION.. 

POETKJL   IVOKKS  OF  FITZ-ORMEIVR  IIAIIECK- 

on.^  ,l„ll,ir.  '  coll,  clc^d.    Orio  v,)l.,  lamo.,  ,,rwa 


T/ZB  Syj/ijy  OF  WORDS. 
By  Arol„Ieac„„  R.  c.  T„k»c„.    One  vol.,  12„„.,  p,ie„  ,5  o„ 

BRO.VCff/ra,  AND  KINDRED  DISEASES 
In  lan,7iio!;e  n.Iaptwl  to  common  reodcrs.     Bv  W  W  H,.     ,»  t^ 
One  vol.,  IS  mo.  jirice  Sl.OO.  ^  Hni.,  M.  D. 

-hi'l''  "",'"'■"  '"  "  '''"'■"•  'li'"''-  common  .m,B  ,„,„  .„j  ,.  ,       , 

'  It  18  full  Of  hints  .jii  J,e  niiture  of  the  vha\,rjRnIZ,\  T     '  '^'^^'^'"'dor. 

KXTGHTS  OF  ENGLAND,  FRANCE,  AND  SCOTLAND. 


l3y  Hknry  Willi.am  Hkrbert 


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18  pleasing— almost  fascinating  ;  the  moral  is  pure  and  undefikd."— /)a%  Tirrun 

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dwellings,  which  every  one  who  values  health  and  comfort  should  put  in  practice."— 
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ion that  among  those  living  or  dead,  she  has  liad  no  equal  in  this  country  ;  hd.I  we  know 
of  tew  in  the  annals  of  English  literature  who  have  exhibited  superior 'ijiits  rf  ival  i)0 
•tic  stenius."- ri-  (PortUnd,  Mt.)  EcUctio. 


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In  .ulKstanc,.,  nn  nuH.eniic  accoin.t  of  real  p.r.ons  nn,l   ncid  "n  s   f    ,,  fh  fh,"l  Ji°"V'' 

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^|=t^&S^  i.  . 

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redfikld's  new  and   popular  publications. 


"  SHAKESPEARE  AS  HE  WROTE  IT." 

THE  WORKS  OF  SHAKESPEARE, 

Reprinted  from  the  newly-discovered  copy  of  the  Folio  of  1632 
in  the  possession  of  J.  Payne  Collier,  containing  nearly 
Twenty  Thousand  Manuscript  Corrections. 

With  a  History  of  the  Stage  to  the  Time,  an  Introduction  to 
each  Play,  a  Life  of  the  Poet,  etc. 

Bv  J.  paynp:  collier,  f.s.a. 

To  which  are  added,  Glosmrlal  and  other  Notes,  the  Readings  of  Former 
Editions,  a  Portrait  after  that  by  Martin  DroesJiont,  a  Vigneite  Titlb 
on  Steel,  and  a  Faosimilk  ok  thk  Old  Folio,  with  the  Manuscript  Cor- 
rections. 1  vol,  Iinperitil  Svo.  Cloth  $4  00. 
Th'^  WORKS  OF  SHAKESPEARE  the  same  as  the  above. 
Uuifortn  in  Size  with  the  celebrated  Chiswick  Edition,  8  vols. 
l6tno,  cloth  $6  00.     Half  calf  or  rnoroc.  extra 

These  are  American  Copyn'rht  Editions,  the  Notes  being  expressly  prepared 
for  the  work.  The  English  edition  contains  simply  the  text,  without  a  single 
note  or  indication  of  the  (.-hauges  made  in  the  text.  In  the  present,  the  vari- 
ations from  old  copies  are  noted  by  reference  of  all  changes  to  former  editionfl 
(iibbreviated  f.  e.).  and  every  indication  and  explanation  is  given  essential  to  a 
clear  understanding  of  the  author.  The  prefatory  matter,  Life,  &c.,  will  be  fuller 
than  in  any  American  edition  now  published. 

"Tins  is  the  only  correct  edition  of  the  works  of  the  'Bard  ot  Avon'  ever  iBSued, 
BDd  no  lover  or  student  of  Shak.^spf^are  should  be  without  \t."—Philadelptita  Argus. 
••  Altogether  the  most  correct  and  therefore  the  most  valuable  edition  extant.  —Alba- 

"""  TWrulition  of  Shnkespeare  will  ultimately  supersede  all  others.     It  must  certainly 
be  deemed  an  essential  acquisition  by  every  lover  of  the  grsat  dramatist.  — iV.  Y.  Com- 

"""This  gr^c^t  work  commends  itseU  in  the  highest  terms  to  every  Shakespearian  schol- 
ar and  student."— PAJ'(i'WM««  CJ'*!/ ■'^^«"*-  ,  rcu  1  1     ■     V.1 
"  'J'his  edition  embra(.-e8  all  that  is  necessary  to  make  a  copy  of  Shakespeare  desirable 

■nd  correct." — Nineara  Democrat.  „  „  „       .       „ 

"  It  must  sooner  or  later  drive  all  others  from  the  markef-iV.  F.  Evening  Post 

"  lleyond  all  question,  tiie  very  best  edition  of  the  great  bard  hitherto  pubhshod.  — 
W(ie  Englavd  Reliefiom  Herald.  „  ...    ,  ,      ,        .,,,,.       •    ,  „ 

•'  It  must  hereafter  he  the  stnndard  edition  of  Shakespeare's  plays.  —National  Argii*. 

'•  U  is  clenr  Iroiii  inri-niMl  evidence  that  they  are  genuine  restorations  ot  the  origi 
nfi\\)\HSi."— Detroit  Dnily  Times.  ,  „,    ,  ,..      .        i,v  j 

"TiiiB  mii'.t  we  think  supersede  all  fither  editions  of  Shakespeare  hitherto  published 
Collie/8  corrections  make  it  really  a  different  work  from  its  predecessors.  Compared 
with  it  we  consider  th.m  hardly  worth  pos^esHinir."— D(i%  Georgian,  Savannali. 

"  One  who  will  prf>l>ai!ly  hereafter  he  considered  Jis  the  only  true  nuthority.  No  ones 
we  think  will  wish  to  purchi.si!  nii  edition  of  Shakespeare,  except  it  shall  be  conlorm- 
able  to  the  amended  text,  by  C,o\\\er."— Newark  Daily  Advertiser.  ,_     ,  .     a- 

'•  A  great  outcry  has  been  nia.ie  in  Kiicland  ngainst  this  edition  of  tlie  hard,  by  bin- 
Bcr  and  others  interesKul  in  other  e,titi(.ns;  but  the  emendations  con  ,iend  them«elvei 
too  strongly  to  the  uood  sense  of  every  reader  to  be  dropped  1-y  Hie  pubhc— Uxe  oM 
editiims  must  become  obsolete."— ya;iftee  Blade,  Boston. 


4S. 

o  of  1632 
nearly 

^ons. 

oduction  to 


4' 


s  of  Formet 

3NE'1TE  TiTLB 

luscvipt  Cor- 

9  the  above, 
ion,  8  vols. 

eflsly  prepared 
thout  a  single 
isent,  the  vari- 
former  editioiiB 
essential  to  a 
.,  will  be  fuller 


on'  ever  iBSued, 
delphia  Argus. 
I  eKtant."— Alba- 

t  must  certainly 
\."—N.  y.  Cum- 

lospearian  schol- 

jspeare  desirable 

'.vmi?ig  Post. 
to  published." — 

-National  Arg^i*. 
ons  ot  the  origi 

itherto  published, 
lors.     Compared 
Savannah. 
ithority.    No  one 
shall  be  conform' 

the  bard,  by  Sin- 

.icnd  them«elvei 

>  public— tiw  oM 


